


Here We Go Again

by jess (jess_m)



Series: All of Time and Space [2]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: BAMF Rory Williams, Eleventh Doctor Era, Episode: s04e05 Death of the Doctor, Episode: s04e06 Death of the Doctor Part II, Episode: s05e01 The Eleventh Hour, Episode: s05e07 Amy's Choice, Episode: s05e13 The Big Bang, F/M, Long-Term Relationship(s), Major Original Character(s), Multi, Original Character(s), Original Character-centric, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, POV Third Person Limited, Sequel, Series, The Hub (Torchwood), Torchwood References, Young Amelia Pond, Young Amy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-30
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-03-11 16:07:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 40
Words: 294,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13527810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jess_m/pseuds/jess
Summary: The Doctor has regenerated and everything is changing along with him. Ariel Parsons is growing closer to her destiny as the woman fated to destroy the universe, a new companion threatens to set Ariel and the Doctor apart and just who is River Song? When Ariel wants nothing more than some time alone with the Doctor it seems she is doomed to get anything but as the universe tries everything imaginable to try and pull the pair apart.This work is the sequel to my story 'Meant to Be', if you have not read that story yet please go back and do so before you start this one.





	1. The New Doctor

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Doctor Who. I do not own any characters, lines, or plot lines originally found in the series. The characters, lines an plot lines in this that are not in the series however are all mine. Enjoy!

Ariel Parsons was thrown across the floor of the library, but before she was flung into one of the bookcases, the pool flew forward from across the hall as though the machine was trying to catch the young woman with it in her scattered state.

The brunette’s flickering stormy grey eyes widened at the sight of the deep blue beneath her. She sucked in a sharp breath right before she fell backwards into the pool with a loud splash. She swam around in the pool wildly, but something was holding her back. It was as though an invisible force was pressing on her chest keeping her from swimming forward.

Just when she thought it was hopeless, there was another loud splash and a blurry figure in a blue shirt and tie fell in.

“Doctor!” Ariel exclaimed, but all that came out were bubbles and an inaudible voice. He was unable to hear her and possibly help her get out.

Ariel watched with wide eyes as the Doctor clung to the wall of the swimming pool and bolted out.

 _Great_ , she thought. _I’m gonna die in a swimming pool that’s stuck in a library._

The water pushed Ariel even further backwards, pressing against her chest like a large pair of hands just pushing her ribs down into her lungs. Her back hit the wall of the swimming pool and she let out a small gasp with nothing but bubbles coming out of her mouth at the emotion.

Ariel turned around with a bit of difficulty and grappled at the wall before eventually using it to pull herself up and out of the swimming pool.

She fell to the ground and automatically rolled to the bookcase lining the back wall of the library as she coughed the water out of her lungs and brushed her wet yet short brown hair out of her face.

Ariel glanced up with a sigh and noticed the entire Tardis looked as though it had fell onto its backside. Whatever happened with the Doctor’s regeneration, it wasn’t good.

She took a deep breath. She had so been hoping for a normal regeneration and a chance to spend some time with her boyfriend and get to know his new face. Of course, while dating the Doctor, things were never as simple as you’d like them to be.

Ariel was still unbothered by it, she had learned to go with the flow after a year with traveling with him. After all, if you don’t roll with the punches while traveling through time and space with an alien from another planet, you likely wouldn’t last long.

She never minded the rapid pace of things and the maddening events that always seemed to unfold while standing by his side because without him, her life was dead ordinary. Sure, she had been happy secluded and dreaming herself into far off lands and unknown places, but with the Doctor she got to live out those dreams and truly _live_.

She had decided a long time ago, that she would never leave his side unless he wanted her to. Living in his world alongside him was just too good to pass up of your own free will.

Of course, there were moments when it was painful and she wondered what was the point in all of it, but being in love with the Doctor had reassured her that while there was bad: there was always good right alongside it.

Ariel took a deep breath and stared up at the climb she had before her. Traveling with the Doctor, there were also many moments where you had to be strong enough to figure out a way out on your own.

She jumped up and latched onto one of the bookcases in front of her. She used it like a ladder to get to the front of the library and crawled onto the top of it to get her bearings. She glanced around and saw a rope at the very end of the corridor outside the console room. The Doctor had probably left it for her to crawl out, all she had to do was get to it.

Ariel sucked in a sharp breath and jumped up, clinging to the wall beside the entrance. The doors were swinging haphazardly beside it and Ariel jumped up quickly, not wanting to be smacked in the stomach by a large wooden door.

She jumped over the gap of the entrance and crawled towards the rope, not wanting to risk standing and possibly slipping all the way into the library again.

She clung to one of the corridor lights with one hand and stretched over to the rope swaying back and forth slowly before her. She missed the rope on the first try, but on the second she grinned as she grabbed it and walked up to the console room.

Ariel coughed, using the sleeve of her jumper to cover her nose and mouth against the smoke and various fires throughout the room.

Now, she knew how they crashed.

She got to the very top of the Tardis where the doors were still open and jumped up to grab the floor. She dropped the rope and climbed over the Tardis before falling into the grass with a thud.

Ariel groaned and rubbed her head. Apparently, regeneration couldn’t be difficult for just the Doctor.

She scrambled off the ground and brushed the dirt off her trousers, glancing up at a dimly lit house across the garden. If she had to guess where the Doctor was, that was a good a start as any.

Ariel winced as her feet sloshed in her sneakers, the water from the swimming pool still inside. She was too annoyed and far too tired to care.

All she wanted was to find the Doctor and figure out what they could do with their home literally up in flames behind her.

Ariel shoved the small metal gate open and it clanged loudly as it hit the fencing. She marched through the already open door and stopped at the entrance. She stared at the house for a single moment before screaming loudly so anyone in there could hear.

“Doctor!” Ariel yelled.

“Ah, and there she is,” a distant voice chuckled from the kitchen.

Ariel’s eyes widened. It couldn’t be. The man who phoned her before her mother’s funeral? Bowtie?

She frowned as she realized and took a deep breath. She was surprised, sure, but the more she thought on it the more it made sense. The only person who could possibly ask her age and moan about getting the time wrong was none other than the Doctor himself.

Ariel squelched her way into the kitchen and, hardly noticing the young ginger Scottish woman running about, her eyes were fixated on the Doctor.

“What do you think?” The Doctor smirked. “New, new Doctor.”

Ariel smiled softly as she walked up closer to get a better look at him. He had dark floppy hair that looked gorgeous over his young face. His bright green eyes sparkled as he grinned at her making her smile despite her anger. Her heart skipped a beat and she felt an overwhelming surge of happiness. However small, a tiny bit of her had wondered if she would find the Doctor just as handsome as before. Sure, they were both still the Doctor and she would always love his personality, but they bore the faces and bodies of two different people. She couldn’t help but be a bit worried. “I love the hair,” she muttered. “Chin’s a bit much though,” she remarked.

“Ah, that’s why I said,” the Doctor mumbled as he took a bite of his food. “Still,” he shrugged. “Can only focus on so many things to do right during regeneration. I didn’t have time for the nitty gritty like chins.”

“Next time, you’ll have some other strange part that sticks out like eyebrows,” Ariel giggled.

The Doctor laughed and shook his head. “So, you like it?”

“Yeah,” Ariel smiled and nodded. She ran her fingers through his new, yet slightly damp hair. “It’s a bit younger than the last one,” she noticed. “But I like it,” she nodded, much firmer this time.

The Doctor beamed up at her. It broke his hearts when people didn’t like his new face. It wasn’t like there was anything he could do about it. Especially since this would be his last face. More than anything, he wanted Ariel to like it.

“Are you eating fish fingers and custard?” Ariel frowned at the bowl.

“Oh, it’s brilliant,” the Doctor said with a mouthful of food. “D’you want a bite?” He prompted, holding up the fish finger he had already half bitten into.

Ariel stared down at it for a minute before shrugging and taking a bite. “Oh,” she said with wide eyes. “Not half bad.”

“I know right,” the Doctor smirked.

The young ginger grabbed some ice cream and a spoon and sat it at the table before standing up and looking up at Ariel with wide eyes.

“Are you the lady he wouldn’t stop talking about?” The young girl asked in a thick Scottish accent.

Ariel giggled and raised an eyebrow at the Doctor who blushed profusely.

“I guess so,” Ariel sighed.

“Were you in the library too?” The girl asked.

Ariel sighed softly and glanced down at her drenched attire. “Yeah, sort of,” she mumbled awkwardly.

The girl just smiled. “Would you like a towel?”

“Yes, please, thanks,” Ariel grinned. The girl ran off to get her some towels and Ariel smirked at the Doctor, grabbing one of the fish fingers from his bowl.

“Ah, nothing changes,” the Doctor chuckled.

“You can change your face all you want but you can’t change the fact that I will always steal food from you,” Ariel grinned before eating her fish fingers proudly.

The girl ran in with two towels and a bag. “I brought these for your clothes and hair and these for your shoes.”

“Thank you,” Ariel smiled. “You’re so sweet,” she said as she took the items. “I’m gonna go dry off but you haven’t got any apples by any chance have you? This idiot hasn’t eaten all of them, has he?”

“Oi!” The Doctor snapped and Ariel just giggled.

“No, he said they were rubbish,” the girl replied.

“Oh, yep. New mouth, new rules I suppose,” Ariel shrugged.

“I’ll leave one out for you,” the girl nodded.

“Thanks,” Ariel smiled. She grabbed a chair and removed her shoes and socks to put them in the plastic bag before using the towels to dry her hair and clothes.

The little girl glanced at the pair of them with a grin.

“Funny,” she remarked.

“Are we?” The Doctor prompted and the little girl nodded. “Good,” the Doctor nodded. “Funny's good. What's your name?” He asked.

“Amelia Pond,” the girl replied proudly.

“Oh, that's a brilliant name,” the Doctor laughed. “Amelia Pond,” he smiled, glancing back at Ariel who nodded with a grin.

“Wish I had a name like that rather than being called a bloody mermaid all my life,” Ariel mumbled bitterly.

“It’s like a name in a fairy tale,” the Doctor grinned. “Are we in Scotland, Amelia?”

“Oh, please don’t be Edinburgh,” Ariel breathed. She didn’t want to revisit the city that held her dead mother anytime soon.

“No,” Amelia sighed and shook her head. “We had to move to England. It's rubbish.”

“I had to move to Scotland,” Ariel nodded in understanding. “I was miserable,” she said.

“Ah, the English girl who moved to Scotland and the Scottish girl who moved to England. What a combo,” the Doctor hummed.

“Yeah, I can definitely see them making some odd sitcom out of that one,” Ariel chuckled.

The Doctor laughed and turned to Amelia with a soft smile. “So what about your Mum and Dad, then? Are they upstairs? Thought we'd have woken them by now,” he observed, dipping another fish finger into the custard. “Especially with Miss Parsons screaming for me the second she walked in.”

“I couldn’t help it. I was wet, angry, and had smoke in my lungs,” Ariel shrugged as she wrapped one of the towels around her body and scooting her chair up to the table.

“I don't have a Mum and Dad. Just an Aunt,” Amelia shrugged.

“I don’t even have an aunt,” the Doctor sighed.

“You’re lucky,” Amelia nodded, grimacing as she thought back on her own aunt.

“I know,” the Doctor nodded with a small smirk.

“I just have an Uncle,” Ariel shrugged as she grabbed a fish finger from the Doctor’s bowl. “Believe me, they’re worse,” she sighed.

“So, your Aunt, where is she?” The Doctor wondered, swatting Ariel’s gingers away from a fish finger he wanted to grab as she giggled.

“She’s out,” Amelia said simply.

“And she left you all alone?” The Doctor frowned.

“I’m not scared,” Amelia retorted.

Ariel grabbed the apple that Amelia had grabbed for her from the table and swatted the Doctor’s fingers away as she grabbed a knife by his side. The pair were all too used to doing everything in each other’s space, constantly being mere inches from the other.

Ariel began carving a smiling face into the apple as the Doctor spoke.

“Course, you're not,” the Doctor shrugged. “You're not scared of anything. Box falls out of the sky, man falls out of a box, woman falls out of box, man and woman eat fish custard, and look at you, just sitting there. So you know what I think?” The Doctor prompted.

“What?” Amelia asked.

“Must be a hell of a scary crack in your wall,” the Doctor hummed as he took another bite of his fish finger.

“What crack?” Ariel frowned, looking up from carving the face in the apple.

“What are you doing?” Amelia asked, peering over the tub of ice cream to try and get a better look at the apple.

“Oh, the fish custard filled me up so I’m carving a face,” Ariel shrugged. “My Dad once did this when I was a kid. I think it was my ninth birthday. Nobody had showed to my party and when I started to cry, my Dad thought of something quick and carved a bunch of smiling faces into apples. I had like this tiny army of smiling apples and it made me laugh so hard I forgot that nobody was there except him and my Mum,” Ariel smiled fondly at the memory. “Anyway, I’m getting off track,” she shook her head. “What’s with this crack?”

“Miss Amelia Pond has a crack in her wall that she wanted a policeman to come over and fix,” the Doctor nodded.

“Ah,” Ariel hummed. “Well, then what’s the hold up? Let’s see this scary crack,” she smiled.

Amelia lead them up to her bedroom where, along the pale blue wall there was a crack, slightly w shaped and four feet long.

“You've had some cowboys in here,” the Doctor remarked, spinning around the room as he took in everything. “Not actual cowboys, though that can happen,” he chuckled with a smirk.

“What would space cowboys want with a little girl’s bedroom?” Ariel wondered.

“Also a good point,” the Doctor smiled and nodded before walking up to the crack in the wall and delicating grazing his fingers along it.

Ariel spun around to Amelia and knelt down before her, holding out the apple with the smiley face she had carved into it.

“Here, you should have this. Keep it for when this crack in your wall gets too scary,” Ariel smiled kindly, holding out the apple.

Amelia took the apple and held it, grinning down at the smiling face. “You keep it,” Amelia said, holding out the apple. “I’m not scared,” she assured her.

“Than you’re braver than I am,” Ariel giggled. She took the apple back and held it while walking up to the Doctor’s side. “Well?” She prompted.

“This wall is solid and the crack doesn't go all the way through it. So here's a thing. Where's the draught coming from?” The Doctor wondered.

“What, like something between this crack and the other side of the wall?” Ariel guessed.

“Possibly,” the Doctor hummed. He pulled out his sonic and scanned the wall. He looked down at the readings with wide eyes. “Wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey. You know what the crack is?” He asked the girls, glancing at each of them in turn.

“What?” Amelia asked with a slight shrug.

“It's a crack,” the Doctor mumbled, frowning at the crack in the wall. “But I'll tell you something funny. If you knocked this wall down, the crack would stay put, because the crack isn't in the wall.”

“Where is it then?” Amelia asked.

“Everywhere,” the Doctor breathed, pressing his ear against the wall curiously and listening. “In everything. It's a split in the skin of the world. Two parts of space and time that should never have touched, pressed together right here in the wall of your bedroom,” he murmured. “Sometimes, can you hear?” He prompted, waving for Ariel to listen by his side.

Ariel pushed Amelia’s small desk to the side and pressed her ear up against the wall. There was a faint growling on the other side of the wall, but it sounded odd, like whoever was speaking was under water.

“A voice,” Amelia breathed, her voice shaky as she spoke, betraying all the nights she had laid awake listening to that faint growling on the other side of her wall. “Yes,” she nodded.

“I need a cup,” the Doctor mumbled.

Ariel turned and raised an eyebrow at Amelia. She ran to get her nighttime glass of water and emptied it out, handing it to the pair of them. The Doctor placed the cup in between his ear and the wall and Ariel watched him warily as he listened.

“Prisoner Zero has escaped,” a muddled, low voice announced.

The Doctor’s eyes widened and Ariel just raised an eyebrow at the Doctor, curious as to what the voice was saying.

“What is it?” Ariel asked.

“Prisoner Zero has escaped,” the Doctor breathed. Ariel’s eyes widened. Wherever that crack lead to, they had lost a prisoner and knowing their luck, the Prisoner was probably somewhere nearby on Earth.

“That's what I heard,” Amelia nodded. “What does it mean?” She asked.

The Doctor passed the cup to Ariel so she could listen while he turned back to Amelia.

“Prisoner Zero has escaped,” the voice from the other side of the wall announced.

“It means that on the other side of this wall, there's a prison and they've lost a prisoner,” the Doctor sighed. “And you know what that means?” He asked.

Ariel pulled away from the wall and put the cup away. The Doctor raised an eyebrow at her and she nodded.

“What?” Amelia asked.

The Doctor and Ariel pulled Amelia’s desk away from her wall and stepped back. “You need a better wall,” the Doctor muttered. “The only way to close the breach is to open it all the way. The forces will invert and it'll snap itself shut. Or,” he took a shaky breath and Ariel watched him with wide eyes.

“What?” Amelia prompted.

The Doctor inhaled sharply and stared at Ariel, silently asking her to mend his error. She took a deep breath and knelt down in front of Amelia.

“You know when grown-ups tell you everything's going to be fine and you think they're probably lying to make you feel better?” Ariel prompted with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes,” Amelia groaned, visibly frustrated with the habit.

“Everything's going to be fine,” Ariel lied fluidly with a small shrug.

Amelia narrowed her eyes at the woman, knowing she was lying but not saying anything as she jumped up to the Doctor’s side. He used his sonic screwdriver to open the crack and it parted like a wide mouth with an ominous dark lighting flooding the room.

“Prisoner Zero has escaped. Prisoner Zero has escaped,” the voice announced, much more clear as it spoke but still carrying the same low gravelly tone.

“Hello?” The Doctor prompted. “Hello?”

All of a sudden, a giant blue eyeball swung down and glanced at all, three of them.

Ariel gasped and jumped back at the sight while Amelia stared at it with wide eyes, frozen in shock.

“What’s that?” Amelia gasped.

“Is there something you want to tell us?” Ariel implored the eyeball.

The eyeball seemed to be scanning the room and moments later a bolt of light hit the Doctor’s side and he doubled over. The eyeball watched him for a second before flying back up and closing the crack once again.

The Doctor sat in a chair beside Amelia’s bed, fidgeting restlessly for his psychic paper as he grinned at the crack.

Ariel swatted his hand away and pulled out his psychic paper for him while he beamed at Amelia.

“There, you see?” The Doctor smirked. “Told you it would close. Good as new,” he nodded.

“What's that thing?” Amelia asked, glancing back and forth between the crack and the Doctor. “Was that Prisoner Zero?”

“No, no, I don’t think it was,” Ariel sighed, reading the psychic paper and turning it to the Doctor.

“That was Prisoner Zero’s guard,” the Doctor breathed. “Prisoner Zero has escaped,” he read once again. “But why tell us? Unless,” his eyes widened as he realized what Ariel was beginning to understand.

“Unless what?” Amelia implored.

“Unless Prisoner Zero escaped through here,” the Doctor murmured. “But he couldn't have. We'd know,” he muttered, grabbing Ariel’s hand and marching out into the corridor, glancing around the house with wide eyes.

“Could he be hiding?” Ariel guessed with a shrug. “Would there be any way to find him?”

“It's difficult,” the Doctor sighed, raking his fingers through his hair as he took a deep breath and stared at the empty corridor. “Brand new me. Nothing works yet. But there's something I'm missing. In the corner of my eye,” he murmured, beginning to turn slowly.

Before he could turn all the way, out in the garden the Tardis cloister bells tolled loudly.

“Oh, God,” Ariel gasped with wide eyes.

“No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!” The Doctor cried. He grabbed Ariel’s hand and bolted out into the garden with Amelia chasing after the pair desperately.

“We've got to get back in there!” The Doctor exclaimed. “The engines are phasing. It's going to burn!” He yelled.

“But it's just a box,” Amelia sighed. “How can a box have engines?” She wondered.

“How can a box have a library?” Ariel frowned. “Perspective, Amelia!”

“It's not a box,” the Doctor snapped, taking great offense whenever someone called his Tardis a box. “It's a time machine,” he said.

“What, a real one?” Amelia gasped. “You've got a real time machine?”

“Live in one,” Ariel nodded with a small grin.

“Not for much longer if we can't get her stabilised,” the Doctor sighed and Ariel inhaled sharply. “Five minute hop into the future should do it,” he nodded.

“Can I come?” Amelia asked, fidgeting slightly with clear anxiety over the possibility of traveling into the future.

“Not safe in here. Not yet,” the Doctor shook his head.

“Yet, he wants me to go in with him,” Ariel chuckled. “Somethings never change,” she sighed.

The Doctor chuckled and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead before turning back to Amelia. “Five minutes,” the Doctor assured her. “Give us five minutes, we'll be right back.”

“People always say that,” Amelia mumbled with a small frown.

Ariel’s eyes widened and she sighed softly, grabbing the Doctor’s arm before he could crawl back into the Tardis and gesturing to Amelia. The Doctor shrugged slightly and raised an eyebrow, unsure of what he could do. Ariel glared at him and he sighed as he rolled his eyes.

The Doctor took a deep breath and knelt down before Amelia. “Are we people?” The Doctor asked, gesturing between himself and Ariel. “Do we even look like people? Trust me,” he nodded. “I'm the Doctor,” he smiled.

Ariel grinned at him and he grabbed her hand as they both climbed back onto the Tardis. They stared down at the chaos below with fires raging across the console room and the water from the swimming pool beginning to flood the rooms beyond it.

The Doctor and Ariel shared a smile.

“Geronimo!” The Doctor exclaimed and they both jumped down into the Tardis.

There was a loud splash and moments later the Tardis began to dematerialize before Amelia.


	2. Amelia Pond

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is so late! I'm so sorry!

Ariel ran through the Tardis wildly, extinguishing various fires as the Doctor fought with the controls. After placing multiple towels across the corridor and putting out the last fire, all that remained was smoke clogging their air. She tossed the extinguisher to the side and flung the doors open to try and let out some of the smoke.

The Doctor had taken them to the year 2020 far away from the city so they wouldn’t be distracted. The only reason they were still sitting there was to keep the Tardis from exploding the minute they jumped back to Amelia’s.

Ariel turned to the Doctor and narrowed her eyes at him. He didn’t look up but she just quietly observed his new face. All the new quirks it possessed, the adorable small smirks when he figured something out.

It was strange looking at him. He looked like an entirely different person, but when he spoke to her, she could still hear her Doctor beneath each of his words. 

“You’re so different,” Ariel remarked.

The Doctor looked up and raised an eyebrow. “Good different?” He prompted.

“I don’t know yet,” Ariel frowned.

The Doctor sighed softly and looked down. “Do you want to go home?” He asked, trying not to allow the hints of anxiety and hurt creep into his tone at the very idea of losing her when he needed her most.

“I don’t even have a home to go back to,” Ariel chuckled with a small shrug. Even if she had wanted to go back home to her house before, she couldn’t. “I can’t afford the house I lived in with my Mum.” She didn’t have a job and it wasn’t like she could go back to school without an explanation after months of mysteriously disappearing. She had nowhere left but the Tardis.

“Would you?” The Doctor asked. “I mean, if you could go back to a home, would you?”

Ariel narrowed her eyes at him. If she didn’t know any better, she’d say he was nervous. He was wringing his hands and watching her with wary eyes. It almost reminded her of before they started dating. The atmosphere surrounding them in the Tardis of pure anxiety, both of them unsure if they should start something that could potentially be heartbreaking. She nearly giggled at the sight of him, he wanted to be perfect for her. She could see it in his very demeanor. He had chosen that face to make her happy. Why else would he make himself look younger?

He didn’t want her to leave.

Ariel smiled softly at him and cupped his cheek delicately. “Remember what I told you? I won’t leave again unless you want me to,” she nodded with a small shrug. She didn’t plan on leaving him. Even if the new face had wound up worrying her or making her think he may not look at her the same way, she knew that was his last face. The last Doctor. He would want her to stick around for her. “Do you want me to?”

“No,” the Doctor shook his head automatically, his young face innocent and truly concerned at the idea of watching her leave as so many had done before her.

Ariel grinned. “Good, because I really don’t want to go,” she said, walking up to him and crossing her arms with a small smirk.

The Doctor laughed and wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off the ground and twirling her in joy. Ariel giggled as he placed her back on the ground and cupped her cheek delicately.

“No matter what, I never want to lose you,” the Doctor said.

“You won’t,” Ariel assured him with a small smile. “I don’t think I could live in a world without my Doctor.”

The Doctor smiled softly and brushed her hair out of her eyes, his bright green eyes searching her for a sign that she may just be lying. She may just be trying to keep him happy while she longed for his last face. Finding none, he laughed and pulled her into a tighter hug, sighing in relief that she had truly accepted him.

Regeneration was always tricky, he didn’t know who he was going to change into or how he would act around those he loved most. It was especially difficult when someone he cared for as much as Ariel was by his side during the process. He never knew the reaction he would get and he had hoped more than anything that hers was good. Glancing down at her sparkling grey eyes, he realized in his long life he was finally lucky enough to have a woman that was perfect in every way and didn’t dare to leave his side.

Ariel beamed up at him and ran her fingers through his soft brown hair. “Is it weird that I don’t want to go back?” She asked, her tone breathy and cautious. She knew how much the Doctor loved discovering new things and going on adventures and she was worried even after regeneration he wouldn’t want to sit still for a moment just so she could learn everything she could about this knew face.

She wanted to memorize every little inch of him. She wanted to learn the way the light of the morning grazed his cheek after they laid in bed together all night. She wanted to see that face in the middle of the night when she couldn’t shut her mind off and she wanted to feel his arms wrapped around her when she just wanted somebody to hold onto.

She didn’t want to go back to Amelia and uncover more then. She just wanted to take two minutes with her new Doctor.

The Doctor smiled sadly and delicately traced her cheekbone with his thumb, she closed her eyes at the feeling and held his hand, wishing as hard as she could to freeze that moment and just remain there with him forever.

“My Ariel,” the Doctor sighed. “You know we have to,” he mumbled.

Ariel gulped harshly. In a small hidden paradise, those five words sent her crashing back down to Earth.

“Just promise me this isn’t it. Promise we get more,” Ariel insisted. She wasn’t looking for weeks away from the world with him by her side, she just wanted an hour or so to just be with him.

The Doctor smiled, almost laughing at the sheer simplicity of her wish. It seemed almost odd to watch the woman he would pull the stars out of the sky for asking for just a few minutes alone with him. He nodded, desperately wanting to scream that he would spend years away with her if she just asked. He had regenerated into his last face and he was glad he had chosen it for her.

He took a deep breath and with a pang of regret as he looked down at Ariel’s mournful face, he started the time rotors and sent them back to Amelia’s house.

As they flew through time and space, the Tardis seemed to grow furious with them for messing with her once again. The walls and console coughed up smoke in sheer agony and Ariel sighed as she ran to get the fire extinguisher once again.

She covered her mouth and nose as a puff of smoke blew into her face.

The Doctor ran up to her and pulled her back to his side as she continued to stand beside the smoke, coughing up her lungs.

“Just leave it,” the Doctor insisted. “She probably just wants us to leave her be. I think it’s time,” he smiled.

“Time for what?” Ariel coughed.

“She’s redecorating,” the Doctor grinned.

“She’s what?!” Ariel exclaimed, her coughs becoming raspy as smoke clogged her lungs.

“Alright, we’ve gotta get you out of here,” the Doctor hummed. He pulled a small rag off the console and passed it to her. “Here, breath into this along the way.”

Ariel accepted it gratefully and let out a few small coughs into the rag. “What do you mean she’s redecorating?” Ariel asked.

“It usually happens when the Tardis goes through a lot of damage or every few regenerations. She’ll redecorate the interior,” the Doctor shrugged.

“What, so everything changes?” Ariel prompted.

“Well, not everything,” the Doctor sighed. “Though she did add a trapeze last time,” he frowned.

“Huh,” Ariel said, leaning onto the Tardis as the Doctor piloted them. “New Doctor, new Tardis,” she smirked. "Though it is nice that some things stay the same. Too much change at once could drive me round the bend," she chuckled.

The Doctor grinned at her and nodded before his eyes slowly began to widen and his face fell. “He was always there,” the Doctor realized.

“Doctor?” Ariel prompted with a small frown. She never found it hard to keep up with the Doctor’s sudden change of pace. While some found it maddening, she just persisted in paying attention to him and listening. When she did that, it was easy to talk about fifty different subjects in the span of a few minutes.

It also didn’t hurt that their minds were usually on the same track so even if he was in the middle of a thought when he changed the subject, she was able to follow him.

“He was always there. We left her alone and he was always there,” the Doctor breathed.

Ariel immediately fell into his train of thought and her eyes widened. “But he didn’t hurt her when we were there, why would he wait?” She wondered. “And where would he even hide?”

“The door,” the Doctor murmured. He slammed his hand down on the console and Ariel jumped at the violent action. Mere seconds after, she grabbed his hand delicately and glanced up at him with wide eyes.

“There’s no point in blaming yourself, Doctor. We’ll save her,” Ariel assured him. “But what door?”

“There was a door just behind the stairs. I couldn’t see it right away because there’s a perception filter over it, but that’s probably where he’s hiding,” the Doctor said, taking deep breaths as he glanced down at Ariel.

“Okay,” Ariel nodded. “So we need to get to that door,” she said.

“And fast,” the Doctor agreed with a nod.

The Tardis shook once again as the Doctor commanded her to move faster and after a lot of shaking them around in anger, they landed with a troubled wheezing.

The Doctor held out his hand to Ariel and smirked.

“Together?” The Doctor prompted.

“Always,” Ariel grinned.

Ariel took his hand and they ran out as the Tardis doors slammed shut behind them.

“Amelia! Amelia, we worked out what it was!” The Doctor called, running out of the Tardis and up to the front door. “I know what I was missing! You've got to get out of there!” He cried, pulling out his screwdriver and trying to sonic open the door.

It blipped and it’s normal whirring sounded like odd coughs from the poor device.

“I’m guessing the sonic isn’t doing too well after the swimming pool,” Ariel remarked.

“Oh, that’s the least of my concerns right now,” the Doctor sighed. Eventually, he got the door open and grabbed Ariel’s hand. “Come on,” he muttered.

They ran inside and peered around the small house. “Amelia!” Ariel called.

“Amelia?” The Doctor frowned. He turned to Ariel and grabbed her hand. He gave her a short nod and the pair ran up the stairs to Amelia’s bedroom door. “Amelia, are you alright? Are you there?” He asked, sonicking the door in worry.

“Amelia, you’re in danger!” Ariel cried.

“Prisoner Zero's here. Prisoner Zero is here!” The Doctor exclaimed with a frantic nod. “Prisoner Zero is here! Do you understand me? Prisoner Zero is-.”

The pair turned around and were both met with a large wooden cricket bat to their faces, knocking them out cold.

The ginger woman, dropped the bat and stared at the pair with wide eyes. “No,” she breathed, stepping up to them and unable to take her eyes off them.

She took a deep breath and shook her head. It wasn’t possible. They were wearing the same clothes. They couldn’t be the mermaid and raggedy doctor from her childhood.

She pulled the cuffs out of her kissogram outfit and chained one hand onto Ariel first. She figured the young woman would be easiest to carry down the corridor.

She looped the cuffs around the radiator and dragged the Doctor to Ariel’s side. She cuffed his hand and stepped back with a sigh. As she did so, Ariel’s head dropped onto the Doctor’s shoulder and his body seemed to drift closer to her. The ginger woman just rolled her eyes. If they were the couple from her childhood, they certainly bore the same unbreakable relationship she had fantasized about.

She took a deep breath and glanced around the corridor. If she was really going to sell it as a policewoman, she was going to need a radio.

~~~

Ariel woke up with a groan and tried to lift her head up, but something heavy was weighing down on it. She glanced to her side and saw the Doctor’s worn out blue shirt and ratty tie. She sighed softly and rubbed her forehead, wincing at the quick stab of pain she felt.

She rubbed the Doctor's chest gently at first before softly tapping him to wake him up.

The Doctor moaned and sat up, pulling at his hand to try and clutch the pain in his head. Instead, there was a loud metal clang and an outcry of pain from Ariel.

The Doctor frowned and peered around his shoulder to see himself and Ariel handcuffed to a radiator. He looked up and spotted a young woman with ginger hair pulled back in a policewoman outfit, speaking into a radio.

“White male, mid twenties, and brunette female, early twenties, breaking and entering. Send me some back-up. I've got them restrained,” the woman said and her eyes widened as she spotted the couple staring up at her. “Oi! The pair of you, sit still,” she ordered.

The Doctor frowned and licked his lips. “Cricket bat. I’m getting cricket bat.”

“Are you honestly telling me we were knocked out with a cricket bat?” Ariel sighed.

“Either that or someone just tapped my face with it a lot with I was unconscious,” the Doctor shrugged.

“Why on earth would you knock us out with a cricket bat?!” Ariel exclaimed, narrowing her eyes at the policewoman.

“You were breaking and entering,” the woman snapped at them.

“What did we break?” Ariel scoffed. “We just entered.”

“Actually, no, that's much better,” the Doctor grinned. “Brand new me. Whack on the head, just what I needed,” he smirked at Ariel and she giggled and nodded with him.

“Do the pair of you want to shut up now?” The woman asked with a thick Scottish accent. “I've got back up on the way,” she nodded.

“Why are we handcuffed to a radiator?” Ariel wondered.

“Hang on, no, wait. You're a policewoman,” the Doctor said, pointing a finger at the woman.

“And you’re breaking and entering,” the woman nodded. “See how this works?” She prompted.

“Once again, we weren’t breaking anything,” Ariel mumbled. “But technicalities.”

“But what are you doing here?” The Doctor asked. “Where's Amelia?” He wondered.

The policewoman’s face fell and she stood up a bit straighter as she stared at the Doctor and Ariel.

“Amelia Pond?” She said.

“Yeah, Amelia,” the Doctor nodded. “Little Scottish girl.”

“Short, red-hair, hates England,” Ariel added with a nod. “Ringing any bells?”

“Where is she?” The Doctor asked. “We promised her five minutes but the engines were phasing,” he sighed. “I suppose we must have gone a bit far. Has something happened to her?”

“Oh, please let her be alright,” Ariel murmured. “She was hilarious,” she smiled.

“Amelia Pond hasn’t lived here in a long time,” the policewoman sighed.

“How long?” The Doctor asked.

The policewoman shifted awkwardly and glanced down to avoid their persevering gazes looking up at her. “Six months,” she muttered, looking up momentarily to measure their reactions.

Both sets of eyes widened and they shared a look of sheer horror at the idea that the poor little girl could be waiting for them for six months.

“Oh, my God,” Ariel breathed.

“No. No. No,” the Doctor shook his head, refusing to accept the information. “No, we can't be six months late. We said five minutes,” he insisted. “I promised. What happened to her? What happened to Amelia Pond?” He asked desperately.

The policewoman took a deep breath and pulled out her radio once again. “Sarge, it's me again. Hurry it up. These two know something about Amelia Pond,” she said.

The Doctor shook his head and sighed in frustration. If he had been standing up, he would’ve stamped his foot like an angry child.

“I need to speak to whoever lives in this house right now,” the Doctor insisted.

“I live here,” the policewoman replied, nodding simply.

“But you’re the police,” the Doctor frowned.

Ariel snorted. “Doctor, the police have homes too,” she said.

“Yes, and this is where I live,” the policewoman sighed. “Have you got a problem with that?” She prompted, raising an eyebrow at the pair of them.

The Doctor narrowed his eyes at her. “How many rooms?” He asked and Ariel turned to her with large eyes.

“I’m sorry, what?” The policewoman implored with a frown.

“In the corridor,” Ariel said.

“On this floor,” the Doctor nodded. “How many rooms on this floor? Count them for me now,” he instructed.

“Why?” The policewoman wondered.

“Because it will change your life,” the Doctor breathed.

“Just do this for us,” Ariel insisted.

The policewoman narrowed her eyes at the pair and stood up straighter, placing her hands on her hips like an angry parent as she frowned down at them. “Five,” she said confidently. “One, two, three, four, five,” she counted, pointing to each room in turn, though never glancing at the rooms.

“Wrong,” Ariel said and the policewoman's confident smile dropped.

“Six,” the Doctor corrected.

“Six?” The policewoman echoed with a frown.

“Look,” the Doctor nodded behind her and she spun around still not seeing the room hidden from her view.

“Look where?” The policewoman shook her head, not seeing where the Doctor and Ariel were seeing a sixth room.

“Exactly where you don't want to look. Where you never want to look. The corner of your eye. Look behind you,” the Doctor instructed, speaking breathlessly as he stared at the room with wide eyes.

The policewoman did as he said, turning slowly with wary eyes, anxious of what she may see when she looked in the direction she had been avoided her whole life.

The policewoman inhaled sharply, staring at the door with wide eyes. “That's, that is not possible,” she breathed. “How's that possible?” She wondered, spinning back around to the couple.

“There's a perception filter all round the door,” the Doctor explained quickly. “Sensed it the last time I was here. Should've seen it,” he sighed.

“It’s not your fault,” Ariel reminded him.

“It’s always my fault,” the Doctor murmured.

“But that's a whole room,” the policewoman shook her head, turning back to the door and keeping her eyes fixated on it. “That's a whole room I've never even noticed.”

“The filter stops you noticing,” the Doctor shrugged. “Something came a while ago to hide. It's still hiding, and you need to uncuff us now,” he insisted.

“I don’t have the key,” the policewoman breathed, shaking her head uselessly. “I lost it.”

“What?!” Ariel exclaimed, tugging on the cuffs and gaining nothing but the Doctor’s arm growing bruised on the radiator.

The Doctor hardly noticed as he watched the policewoman slowly tiptoe toward the door with wide eyes. “How can you have lost it?!” He cried.

“Why are you going to the door?!” Ariel yelled, dumbfounded by the sheer recklessness the woman was portraying. If you find a hidden room in your house that a man warned was dangerous, you don’t run straight into the room, you wait and figure out what’s inside. Then you go running straight into the room.

“Stay away from that door!” The Doctor snapped. “Do not touch that door! Listen to me,” he practically begged as the woman stood mere inches away from the doorknob. “Do not open that,” he instructed as she turned the doorknob and opened the creaking door. The Doctor groaned and hung his head. He glanced at Ariel, eyes fixated on the woman as she stepped inside. “Why does no-one ever listen to me?” He wondered. “Do I just have a face that nobody listens to?”

Ariel turned to him with a small smirk and glanced across his face. She shrugged. “A bit, yeah,” she nodded.

“Again,” the Doctor sighed.

“Ah, it wasn’t as bad last time,” Ariel muttered.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. He always knew when she was lying. Especially when it was that obvious.

“Alright,” Ariel giggled. “It was pretty bad,” she confessed. “But your ninth face was worse.”

“Touché,” the Doctor shrugged.

“Hold on, before she knocked us out we were right by that door. Maybe, your screwdriver’s in there,” Ariel suggested.

“Worth a shot,” the Doctor sighed. “My screwdriver, where is it?” The Doctor called to the policewoman. “Silver thing, blue at the end. Where did it go?” He asked.

“There’s nothing here,” the policewoman said from within the room.

“Well, then you should get out of there,” Ariel muttered. “There’s nothing good in that room,” she told her.

“Whatever's there stopped you seeing the room,” the Doctor nodded. “What makes you think you could see it?” He wondered. “Now please, just get out.”

“Silver, blue at the end?” The woman called.

“Yeah,” Ariel frowned.

“My screwdriver,” the Doctor nodded.

“It’s here,” the woman said.

“Then I was right,” Ariel smirked.

“Must have rolled under the door,” the Doctor shrugged. “Like you said, probably fell out of my hands when we were hit with the cricket bat.”

“Yeah. Must have. And then it must have jumped up on the table,” the policewoman breathed, staring at the screwdriver as fear gripped her heart.

The Doctor and Ariel turned to each other with wide eyes.

“Get out of there!” They both screamed at the policewoman.

“Get out of there!” The Doctor cried.

“Get out!” Ariel shouted.

In the room, the policewoman picked up the Doctor’s screwdriver, covered almost completely in alien gunk. She winced and rubbed the substance on her skirt.

“Get out of there!” The Doctor yelled.

“Why are you still in there?!” Ariel exclaimed.

“What is it?” The Doctor asked. “What are you doing?”

“There’s nothing here,” the policewoman breathed. “But-,” she hesitated.

The Doctor narrowed his eyes at the doorway. “Corner of your eye,” he hummed.

“What is it?” The policewoman mumbled, glancing around the room rapidly looking for it.

“Don’t stay in there looking for it!” Ariel reprimanded like an angry mother.

“Don't try to see it,” the Doctor agreed with a nod. “If it knows you've seen it, it will kill you. Don't look at it. Do not look.”

“Just leave!” Ariel yelled.

There was a loud scream from within the room and Ariel and the Doctor stared at the door with wide eyes, both lurching forward as though they could pull off the chain o the cuffs and run towards her.

“Get out!” The Doctor shouted.

The policewoman bolted out of the room and tossed the screwdriver to the Doctor.

Ariel immediately pulled up the cuffs for the Doctor to sonic and he rattled the screwdriver roughly as he tried to free them.

“It’s not working,” Ariel sighed.

“Come on,” the Doctor moaned, hitting the screwdriver against his palm. “What's the bad alien done to you?”

“Don’t blame the alien,” Ariel murmured. “It was acting up before we got back here.”

“Just my luck, right after I get a new face I need a new screwdriver too,” the Doctor grumbled.

The policewoman seemed to be ignoring the pair of them, just staring at the door to the hidden room with wide eyes. “Will that door hold it?” She asked.

“Oh, yeah, yeah, of course,” the Doctor shrugged. “It's an interdimensional multiform from outer space. They're all terrified of wood,” he quipped.

“Well, the screwdriver is,” Ariel mumbled.

“Oi, shut it!” The Doctor snapped with a small smirk and Ariel laughed.

Just then, there was an odd bright light from the cracks around the door in the hidden room.

“What's that? What's it doing?” The policewoman asked desperately, glancing between the couple and the light coming from the door.

“I don't know. Getting dressed?” The Doctor guessed with a smile at Ariel and she snickered.

Ariel glanced up at the woman and saw her looking down at them with wide, terrified eyes.

“You don’t need to worry about it,” Ariel said with a small shrug.

“She’s right,” the Doctor nodded. “Run. Just go. Your back up's coming. We'll be fine,” he assured her.

“We’d be fine without the back up, but alright,” Ariel mumbled.

“There is no back up,” the policewoman sighed.

“What?” Ariel frowned.

“We heard you on the radio,” the Doctor insisted with a nod. “You called for back up,” he said.

“I was pretending,” the woman shrugged. “It was a pretend radio.”

“Why do you have a pretend radio?” Ariel wondered.

“You’re a policewoman,” the Doctor reminded her with a small frown.

“I’m a kissogram!” The woman cried and removed her cap to reveal long red hair not even held up in a bun like normal policewomen.

“Blimey, they send policewomen as kissograms, now?” Ariel murmured with a frown.

The woman just rolled her eyes as the door slammed down and a balding man in blue overalls stood on it with a dog by his side.

“But it’s just,” the woman breathed.

“No, it can’t be,” Ariel shook her head.

“It isn’t,” the Doctor confirmed with a nod. “Look at the faces.”

The man in overalls seemed to be growling at them, then he barked loudly making them all jump slightly with wide eyes.

“What?” The woman gasped. “I'm sorry, but what?”

“That is weird to look at,” Ariel remarked, wincing at the barking man. “How is it doing that?” She wondered, glancing at the Doctor curiously.

Ariel grinned as she watched his face light up. He loved answering questions, especially the ones he knew the answer to. It was like telling others about a good day he had. It just made him happy to talk about.

Occasionally, Ariel would ask him questions she already knew the answer to, not to seem daft but to just watch his face light up as he explained it. She wasn’t going to stand in the way of something making him happy.

“It's all one creature,” the Doctor said. “One creature disguised as two. Clever old multi-form,” he hummed. “A bit of a rush job, though. Got the voice a bit muddled, did you? Mind you, where did you get the pattern from? You'd need a psychic link, a live feed. How did you fix that?” He called to the creature.

Rather than responding, it barked a few times and opened its mouth, snarling very unlike an ordinary dog and revealing long needle-like teeth.

Ariel sucked in a sharp breath and pressed her back into the radiator painfully as she watched the man with wide eyes.

“Please tell me you got the sonic working,” Ariel muttered.

“Not exactly,” the Doctor winced, his expression mirroring Ariel’s as he watched the man.

“Then what’s the plan?” Ariel asked.

“Improvise?” The Doctor offered with a shrug.

“Oh, God,” Ariel moaned.

“Stay, boy!” The Doctor snapped at the man and he didn’t heel so much as stare at the Doctor like he was a madman. “The three of us, we're safe. Want to know why? She sent for back up,” he nodded, jabbing a thumb at the woman who stared down at him in horror.

“I didn’t send for back up!” The woman hissed.

“Oh, shit,” Ariel sighed. That plan went down the toilet quickly.

“I know,” the Doctor nodded, frowning up at the woman. “That was a clever lie to save our lives,” he said and she seemed slightly apologetic for screwing it up. “Okay, yeah, no back up,” he shrugged. “And that's why we're safe. Alone, we're not a threat to you. If we had back up, you'd have to kill us,” he nodded.

“Attention, Prisoner Zero,” a booming voice over the house called. “The human residence is surrounded. Attention Prisoner Zero. The human residence is surrounded.”

“Oh, thank God,” Ariel sighed. “Your improvising is rubbish.”

“Oi, work with it,” the Doctor snapped and she snickered.

“Wait, what is that?” The woman asked, trying to peer out the window and see the source of the voice.

“Well, that would be back up,” the Doctor smiled. “Okay, one more time,” he corrected. “We do have back up and that's definitely why we're safe.”

“Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence or the human residence will be incinerated,” the voice warned.

“Okay, almost safe,” Ariel resigned.

“Well, safe apart from, you know, incineration,” the Doctor shrugged.

“Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence or the human residence will be incinerated.”

“Please, tell me the screwdriver is working now,” Ariel murmured.

“Come on, work, work, work, come on,” the Doctor muttered, hitting the screwdriver roughly.

“Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence or the human residence will be incinerated.”

Ariel hit the screwdriver a few times as well and eventually it sparked to life and they were able to free themselves from their handcuffs.

“Finally!” Ariel exclaimed. She jumped into the Doctor’s arms and hugged him tightly. He grinned and hugged her back just as tight before pulling away and grabbing her hand.

“Run! Run!” The Doctor yelled, glancing back at the red-haired woman.

They all ran across the corridor and down the steps. They darted out the front door before Prisoner Zero could even realize they had left.

“Alright, so you’re a policewoman kissogram?” Ariel clarified, spinning back to the woman who rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed they were still on the subject.

“Yes,” the woman sighed.

“Kissogram?” The Doctor frowned.

“Yes, a kissogram,” she rolled her eyes. “Work through it.”

“Why’d you pretend to be a policewoman?” The Doctor wondered.

“You broke into my house. It was this or a French maid!” The woman exclaimed.

“See, I remember French maids being kissograms,” Ariel nodded. There was a sharp barking behind them and Ariel’s eyes widened. “I think it saw us!” She cried.

“Come on!” The Doctor yelled, pulling her into the garden.

“What's going on?” The woman asked. “Tell me,” she demanded. “Tell me!” She insisted.

“An alien convict is hiding in your spare room disguised as a man and a dog, and some other aliens are about to incinerate your house,” the Doctor explained rapidly. “Any questions?” He prompted.

“Yes!” The woman snapped.

“Me too,” the Doctor murmured. He ran up to the door of the Tardis and yanked on the handle only to find it was still locked. “No, no, no, no!” He cried. “Don't do that, not now!”

“What is it?” Ariel asked.

“It's still rebuilding,” the Doctor mumbled. “Not letting us in,” he said, kicking the door lightly with his foot.

“Well, kicking it won’t help,” Ariel frowned.

“I’m agitated,” the Doctor moaned.

“Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence or the human residence will be incinerated.”

The woman glanced at them and a small pathway behind the gard. “Come on,” she said, nodding them to their escape route.

Before they could follow her, the Doctor noticed a fully built shed standing in the back of the garden. He stared marching over to it and Ariel’s eyes widened at the sight.

“How is that possible?” Ariel breathed. The shed standing in the garden looked old. Much older than what would happen if it had only been six months.

“We destroyed that shed last time we were here,” the Doctor nodded, marching over to it and inspecting the shed carefully. “Smashed it to pieces,” he remembered.

“So there's a new one,” the woman sighed with a small shrug. “Let's go,” she insisted, waving the couple down the pathway.

“Yeah, but the new one's got old. It's ten years old at least,” the Doctor shrugged. He licked the shed and Ariel stepped forward, raising a curious eyebrow at him. She had grown all too used to the Doctor’s strange habits of smelling the air and telling her the date, sniffing out other Time Lords and apparently licking sheds and telling her how old they are. “Twelve years,” he said and Ariel’s eyes widened. “We’re not six months late, we’re twelve years late.”

“Well, then why did she say six months? That’s far too big of a difference to get it mixed up,” Ariel remarked.

The woman just glanced across the garden and spotted Prisoner Zero, barking at them from the doorway. “He’s coming,” she breathed.

“No, but wait you said six months,” Ariel frowned.

“Why did you say six months?” The Doctor wondered.

“We’ve got to go,” the woman insisted.

“No, hang on a minute!” Ariel snapped. “We’re not just going to let go of this,” she said.

“This matters,” the Doctor nodded. “This is important. Why did you say six months?” He asked.

“Why did you say five minutes?!” The woman exclaimed.

Both the Doctor and Ariel’s faces fell.

“No,” Ariel breathed.

“What?” The Doctor gasped with wide eyes.

It couldn’t be. Amelia Pond? She hit them with a cricket bat? She chained them to a radiator? It almost seemed impossible and yet as Ariel looked at the girl, she couldn’t help but see little Amelia Pond in every inch of her.

“Come on,” Amelia breathed.

“I’m sorry, what?!” Ariel exclaimed.

“What?” The Doctor said, nodding in agreement.

“Come on!” Amelia yelled. She grabbed each of their hands and dragged them out of the garden as they walked alongside her, gaping at the little girl they had known barely an hour ago.

“What?” The Doctor said once again, expressing the sheer disbelief they both felt in that situation perfectly.


	3. Never Grow Up

“Is she actually Amelia?!” Ariel exclaimed, running along the village lane by the Doctor’s side.

“She’s Amelia,” the Doctor nodded. “You’re Amelia.”

“I’m Amelia and you two are late,” Amelia snapped, not even sparing a glance back at them as they ran behind her.

Upon a single glance, Amelia looked like an irate mother trying to deal with her two nosy children on any ordinary evening.

“She is!” Ariel exclaimed with a triumphant grin. “She’s Amelia Pond!”

“Amelia Pond,” the Doctor breathed, watching her with wide eyes.

Amelia simply rolled her eyes and wished the pair of them would stop saying her name like it’s the winning lottery numbers.

“You’re the little girl,” the Doctor nodded.

“Well, twelve years later,” Ariel mumbled with a small shrug.

“Right,” the Doctor sighed. “But still,” he insisted.

“Yes, I’m Amelia and you two are late!” Amelia snapped once again, momentarily spinning around to glare at them and wipe them smiles off their faces.

“What happened?” The Doctor wondered.

“Twelve years,” Amelia deadpanned.

“That’s a lot of happen,” Ariel remarked with a small yet amused smirk. The Doctor snickered and wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they continued walking.

“But you hit us with a cricket bat,” the Doctor remembered with a small frown.

“Twelve years,” Amelia repeated with wide eyes.

“Getting that,” Ariel nodded. “Still-.”

“A cricket bat,” the Doctor finished. Amelia rolled her eyes when she remembered how they spoke as though they were two halves of the same person. When she got a bit older, she had grown to be severely jealous of Ariel. She wasn’t sure if it was because she thought she may never have a relationship like that, or because she had a crush on the Doctor, but either way she didn’t miss hearing them act so perfect together.

“Twelve years and four psychiatrists,” Amelia sighed.

“Four?” The Doctor frowned.

“That’s a bit much,” Ariel remarked.

“I kept biting them,” Amelia mumbled, shrugging nonchalantly as though it were no big deal.

“Why?” The Doctor wondered.

“Yeah, of all the things why biting?” Ariel asked with a small frown. “I would’ve stuck with hitting,” she began and caught the Doctor’s wide eyed warning gaze. “But that’s neither here nor there. We’re talking about you now,” she nodded with a quick smile.

The Doctor nodded and grinned at her and she held back laughter as she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder.

“They said neither of you were real,” Amelia shrugged and the couple beamed at her.

All of a sudden, crackling from a speaker off to their right, a familiar phrase came ringing out.

“Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence or the human residence will be incinerated. Repeat.”

They all turned to see an ice cream vendor in his van frowning at his speakers and hitting it as though that would solve all his problems.

“Oh, God,” Ariel sighed.

“They can’t be,” the Doctor murmured. “Come on,” he nodded. He grabbed Ariel’s hand while Amelia stared after them with wide eyes.

“Are we seriously being staked out by an ice cream van?” Amelia moaned.

“Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence or the human residence will be incinerated.”

The ice cream man looked completely irritated at the voice repeating the same words in his speakers and the Doctor peered at it with a small frown.

“What’s that?” The Doctor asked. “Why are you playing that?”

“It’s supposed to be Clair De Lune,” the man shrugged innocently.

Ariel turned as she heard the same voice echoing from elsewhere. She looked to see a man sitting on the pavement beside a small radio tapping it curiously as it repeated the same words.

Ariel tapped the Doctor’s shoulders and gestured to him with wide eyes. “I don’t think it’s just the ice cream van, Doctor,” Ariel murmured.

“Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence or the human residence will be incinerated. Repeat. Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence or the human residence will be incinerated.”

A woman jogging skidded to a stop as she pulled out her earphones and glanced at them curiously. She grabbed her iPod and tried to see if there was anything visibly wrong with it.

“Doctor, what’s happening?” Amelia breathed.

“It’s everywhere,” Ariel gasped.

The Doctor clenched his jaw and turned to a small house in the distance. He narrowed his eyes at it and grabbed her hand. “Come on!”  The Doctor exclaimed.

“Where are we going?!” Ariel cried, running by his side and hopping over the fence surrounding the house as he did the same.

“We need to figure out just out wide this thing stretches,” the Doctor mumbled.

Ariel nodded and he flung open the door without even knocking, running into the living room where an elderly woman was jabbing at her remote trying to change the channel.

On the screen there was a large eyeball glancing around awkwardly as though it was peering into the room through the screen. Ariel’s eyes widened and she tugged on the Doctor’s arm.

“Isn’t that Prisoner Zero’s guard?” Ariel murmured.

“I think it is, yes,” the Doctor mumbled with a small nod.

“Might I ask, who are the two of you?” The elderly woman asked, frowning at the couple.

“Hello!” The Doctor exclaimed, a large grin automatically stretching across his lips. “Sorry to burst in. We're doing a special on television faults in this area,” he explained rapidly and without a single doubt, until Amelia came rushing in, panting in her policewoman outfit. Ariel simply snickered at the sight and the ginger shot her a warning glare. “Also crimes,” the Doctor shrugged awkwardly. He took a deep breath and grabbed the remote from the hands of the elderly woman. “Let's have a look,” he sighed.

Ariel stepped up to his side and peered at the remote with him, glancing at the television as he changed the channels.

“I was just about to phone,” the elderly woman said. “It's on every channel,” she told them then jumped back a bit at the sight of Amelia as though she was just noticing the woman’s presence. “Oh, hello, Amy dear. Are you a policewoman now?” She asked politely.

“Well, sometimes,” Amelia sighed with a small shrug.

“I thought you were a nurse,” the elderly woman remarked, narrowing her eyes at the ginger.

“I can be a nurse,” Amelia shrugged.

“Or actually a nun?” The elderly woman prompted with a frown.

“I dabble,” Amelia laughed nervously, glancing at the Doctor and Ariel and silently begging them to finish whatever they needed to do there.

The elderly woman sighed and shook her head, glancing at the couple and Amy with a small smile. “Amy, who are your friends?” She asked.

“Amy?” Ariel frowned.

“Who’s Amy?” The Doctor muttered, looking back at Amy with a raised eyebrow. “You were Amelia,” he said as though she had forgotten her first name.

“Yeah?” Amy shrugged. “Now, I’m Amy,” she nodded.

“Amelia Pond,” the Doctor sighed. “That was a great name.”

“Bit fairytale,” Amy scoffed, glaring at the Doctor. The Doctor sucked in a sharp breath and shook his head, turning away from her.

“Do you prefer Amy to Amelia?” Ariel asked kindly, baring a tone of far less accusation than the Doctor.

“Yeah,” Amy nodded.

“Right then,” Ariel shrugged. “No big deal,” she smiled. She glanced up at the Doctor and saw him looking down sadly at her, like he had just watched the innocence fade from Amy’s eyes. Ariel giggled and kissed him on the cheek quickly.

The older woman stepped up to the pair of them and narrowed her eyes at the couple. “I know you, don't I?” She smiled. “Both of you,” she nodded. “I've seen you somewhere before.”

“Not me,” the Doctor shook his head. “Brand new face,” he grinned. “First time on,” he nodded to the woman before turning back to Amy in a split second with a small frown and raised eyebrow. “And what sort of job's a kissogram?” He asked.

Amy’s eyes widened and she seemed blindsided by the rapid change in conversation.

“Just go with it, it saves more time,” Ariel nodded with a small smile as she grabbed the Doctor’s hand and squeezed tightly.

“I go to parties and I kiss people,” Amy mumbled with a shrug. “With outfits. It's a laugh,” she insisted.

The Doctor seemed horrified by the very concept. Like an angry father telling off his daughter.

“You were a little girl five minutes ago!” The Doctor cried.

“You’re worse than my Aunt,” Amy moaned with a roll of her eyes.

“I’m the Doctor, I’m worse than everybody's Aunt!” The Doctor exclaimed and Ariel burst out laughing. He spun back around to the elderly woman. “And that is not how I’m introducing myself.”

“I’ve seen weirder,” Ariel remarked with a small shrug, smirking up at the Doctor.

“Yes, but I’m not trying to let everyone meet me the same way Princess Victoria did,” the Doctor chuckled.

“Oh, I think you screaming and running into Buckingham Palace with an Antipoi stuck to your leg is a great first impression,” Ariel giggled.

The Doctor chuckled and wrapped an arm around her while Amy and the elderly woman shared a confused look.

The Doctor turned to the radio behind the elderly woman’s sofa and began tuning it to different channels. There was a crackle of static and the same voice spoke loudly with an accent.

“Repetez. Le Prisonnier. Zero wird der menschliche,” the voice said.

“It’s not just England then,” Ariel muttered.

“No, it's everywhere,” the Doctor sighed. “In every language. They're broadcasting to the whole world,” he hummed. He grabbed Ariel’s hand and marched out to the window, peering up at the sky.

“What's up there? What are you looking for?” Amy asked, running up behind the couple.

“How long have we got?” Ariel wondered, glancing at the Doctor and the sky with wide eyes.

“How long have we got until what?” Amy asked.

“Okay,” the Doctor sighed, raking his fingers through his floppy hair. “Planet this size, two poles, your basic molten core? They're going to need a forty percent fission blast.”

A young man walked in just then and stood at the entrance of the living room. Rather than getting a proper introduction, the Doctor just walked up to him and started bouncing ideas off the bloke as the man looked at him and Ariel with a frown.

“But they'll have to power up first, won't they?” The Doctor mumbled. “So assuming a medium sized starship, that's 20 minutes. What do you think, twenty minutes?” The Doctor asked, rambling but still finding a second to take a breath and ask Ariel.

“Just about,” Ariel shrugged.

“Yeah, twenty minutes,” the Doctor nodded. “We've got twenty minutes,” he sighed.

“Twenty minutes to what?” Amy asked.

“Are you the Doctor and Ariel?” The man asked and Ariel turned to Amy with a frown.

How many people in that town had actually heard about them?

“They are, aren’t they?” The elderly woman gasped. “He's the Doctor! The Raggedy Doctor. And she’s Ariel. Ariel the mermaid. All those cartoons you did when you were little. The Raggedy Doctor and Ariel the mermaid. It's them,” she smiled.

“And here I was thinking I got rid of the bloody mermaid in school,” Ariel moaned.

“Shut up,” Amy hissed to the elderly woman and the young man.

“Cartoons?” The Doctor frowned.

“Oh, blimey,” Ariel sighed.

“Gran, it's them, isn't it?” The young man said with wide eyes. “It's really them!” He exclaimed.

“Jeff, shut up,” Amy snapped. “Twenty minutes to what?” She asked once again.

“The human residence will be incinerated. Repeat,” the eyeball on the screen said.

“Exactly that,” Ariel murmured, nodding to the screen.

“The human residence,” the Doctor hummed. “They're not talking about your house, they're talking about the planet. Somewhere up there, there's a spaceship, and it's going to incinerate the planet.”

“-Will be incinerated. Repeat, Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence or the human residence will be incinerated.”

“Twenty minutes to the end of the world,” the Doctor sighed and Amy’s eyes widened.

“Repeat, Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence, or the human residence will be incinerated.”

“Right, well, no time to waste then,” Ariel said. She muted the television and turned to the elderly woman and Jeff. “It’s been a pleasure. Sorry, we couldn’t stay longer but we have to stop an alien ship from blowing up the planet. Doctor?”

The Doctor snickered and grabbed her hand and the pair ran outside. Amy smiled and waved goodbye awkwardly at Jeff and his gran before running out after them.

The Doctor glanced around the streets, sulking at the barren neighbourhood as he walked.

“You look adorable even sulking,” Ariel giggled. “That’s completely not fair.”

The Doctor’s cheeks pinkened as he chuckled softly and wrapped his arms around her waist.

Amy ran up to their side and he frowned at her. “What is this place?” The Doctor asked, waving to the neighbourhood surrounding them. “Where are we?”

“Leadworth,” Amy replied.

Ariel snorted. There was quite literally nothing in Leadworth. If she had grown up in quiet places, then Leadworth was mute.

“Where’s the rest of it?” The Doctor asked furiously, seeming to be genuinely curious why the place was so small.

“This is it,” Amy shrugged.  She didn’t seem fazed by the question. In fact, it looked like she had been asking the same thing all her life.

“No much to it,” Ariel murmured. The Doctor scoffed and nodded.

“Is there an airport?” The Doctor asked.

“No,” Amy said.

“A nuclear power station?” The Doctor tried.

“No,” Amy shook her head.

“Even a little one?” The Doctor hoped.

“Not a chance,” Ariel sighed.

“Nearest city?” The Doctor asked.

“Gloucester. Half an hour by car,” Amy replied.

“We don’t have half an hour,” the Doctor snapped. “Do we have a car?”

Amy and Ariel shared a look before both shaking their heads. “No,” the women said in unison.

“Well, that's good!” The Doctor exclaimed sarcastically, the tension beginning to set in. “Fantastic, that is. Twenty minutes to save the world and I've got a post office. And it's shut!” He cried. “What is that?!” He yelled, marching over to a small pond in the distance.

“Is he always like this?” Amy frowned.

“Usually just when he’s stressed out,” Ariel shrugged. “Which is almost always.”

“Well?” The Doctor prompted with a raised eyebrow.

“It’s a duck pond,” Amy shrugged.

“Why aren’t there any ducks?” The Doctor asked, gesturing to the empty pond.

Ariel raised an eyebrow and turned to Amy and the ginger shifted uncomfortably under their gazes.

“I don't know,” Amy sighed, shrugging as she glanced down at the pond. “There's never any ducks.”

“Then how do you know it’s a duck pond?” The Doctor wondered.

“It just is,”  Amy mumbled. “Is it important, the duck pond?” She implored.

Before the Doctor could answer, a pang in his chest sent him falling backwards as he winced in pain.

Ariel’s eyes widened and she ran to his side, helping him to sit on the pavement as he groaned in pain.

“What’s wrong?” Ariel asked, her tone breathy and concerned as she brushed the Doctor’s hair out of his eyes and stared at him with wide eyes.

“I don't know,” the Doctor murmured. “Why would I know? This is too soon. I'm not ready, I'm not done yet,” he breathed.

“Doctor, this is your last face,” Ariel reminded him.

He glanced up at her with wide eyes, communicating the emotion he would never show anybody but her. Fear.

“I know,” the Doctor nodded.

All of a sudden, the sky began to grow dark despite it only being noon. Amy stepped forward and frowned up at the sky.

“What's happening?” Amy asked. “Why's it going dark?”

The Doctor winced and Ariel helped him to his feet. She glanced up at him and smiled softly, squeezing his hand tightly and reassuring him that no matter what happened she would stay by his side.

He grinned at the comfort.

In front of the sun, a black disk appeared, blocking out the light like someone had placed their hand in front of it and was blocking out the light to the earth.

“What’s wrong with the sun?” Amy asked.

“Nothing,” the Doctor sighed, leaning his weight on Ariel so he could stand up properly. “You're looking at it through a forcefield.”

“It’s them isn’t it?” Ariel guessed.

“They've sealed off your upper atmosphere,” the Doctor nodded. “Now they're getting ready to boil the planet,” he said and Ariel sucked in a sharp breath. They watched as, walking into the field just in front of them, they saw dozens of people all pointing their cameras at the sun. Rather than panicking, they all wanted to get it on video. Ariel almost laughed at the thought. “Oh, and here they come. The human race. The end comes, as it was always going to, down a video phone,” the Doctor spat.

Amy glanced at the group of people then looked back at the couple with a small frown. “This isn't real, is it? This is some kind of big wind up,” Amy insisted.

“Why would we wind you up?” The Doctor frowned.

“Not much of a laugh,” Ariel remarked.

“You told me you two lived in a time machine,” Amy remembered.

“We do,” Ariel nodded.

“And you believed us,” the Doctor reminded her.

“Then I grew up,” Amy nodded.

“Oh, that’s the worst,” Ariel moaned and the Doctor chuckled and nodded.

“You never want to do that,” the Doctor hummed, shaking his head at Amy.

Just then, his eyes widened and he looked up at the field, narrowing his eyes at the people holding up their phones and holding up a single finger to silence the women.

“No. Hang on. Shut up. Wait. I missed it. I saw it and I missed it. What did I see? I saw. What did I see? I saw, I saw, I saw,” the Doctor murmured. He focused in on the field and dug through his memory and Ariel watched him in awe.

The Doctor jumped as though he had been shocked and stared down at Ariel with a grin. She raised an eyebrow and he simply nodded happily at her. They could do it.

The Doctor turned to Amy and took a deep breath. “Twenty minutes,” he sighed. “I can do it,” he assured her with a nod. “Twenty minutes, the planet burns. Run to your loved ones and say goodbye, or stay and help us.”

Amy clenched her jaw and stared at the couple. “No,” she said.

The Doctor glanced down at Ariel with a small frown as though she might clarify things for him. “I’m sorry?” The Doctor prompted.

“No!” Amy shouted.

Amy grabbed the Doctor’s tie and dragged him down to the car park and he looked at Ariel with wide eyes, silently asking her what to do.

Ariel bolted after the Doctor as he pulled on his tie and tried to get it out of Amy’s grip.

“Amy, no, no, what are you doing?!” The Doctor exclaimed.

“Amy, seriously, you can’t do that!” Ariel cried.

Amy ignored the pair of them and opened the door to one of the cars just pulled in. She slammed his tie in the door and just as the driver walked over to her side, she snatched the keys from his hand and locked the door.

Ariel ran up to the Doctor and tried to help him pull his tie out of the car.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Ariel snapped.

“Are you out of your mind?” The Doctor asked, staring at her with wide eyes as Ariel tried to rip the tie out of the car door.

“Who are you?” Amy asked, glaring at the pair of them and holding up the car keys as though they were a weapon.

“You know who I am,” the Doctor nodded.

“No, really,” Amy shook her head, clenching her jaw as she stared at the couple. “Who are you?”

“Right when I thought she was taking this really well,” Ariel sighed.

“Look at the sky,” the Doctor said, nodding up to the blackened sun. “End of the world, twenty minutes.”

“Well, better talk quickly, then,” Amy shrugged.

The driver of the car frowned at Amy and the couple. “Amy, I am going to need my car back,” the man said.

Ariel rolled her eyes. Did this woman just know everybody in Leadworth?

“Yes, in a bit,” Amy sighed and shook her head. “Now go and have coffee.”

The man gasped softly as though he were just remembering that was something he had wanted to do. “Right, yes,” the man nodded before walking off to do just as Amy had instructed.

“Wait,” Ariel gasped. She reached into the pocket of her jumper and pulled out the apple with the face she had carved into it. She grinned and the Doctor beamed up at her.

“Catch,” the Doctor said as Ariel tossed the apple to Amy.

Amy caught the apple and stared down at it with wide eyes. It was the same apple. The exact same one Ariel had tried to give her when she was a kid. And it was still fresh. But that was impossible.

“That should be more than enough proof,” Ariel nodded.

“I'm the Doctor, and this is Ariel. We’re time travellers. Everything I told you twelve years ago is true. We’re real. What's happening in the sky is real, and if you don't let us go right now, everything you've ever known is over,” the Doctor said and Amy just glanced between the apple and the Doctor, willing herself to believe it was real but there was still a large part of her that doubted them.

“I don’t believe you,” Amy said, shaking her head, hating herself for the action. She wanted to believe that there was more to the universe, that her childhood imaginary friends could be real but she just _couldn't_.

“That’s okay,” Ariel nodded.

“Just twenty minutes,” the Doctor shrugged. “Just believe us for twenty minutes,” he requested. “Look at it. Fresh as the day you gave it to Ariel. And you know it's the same one. Amy, believe for twenty minutes,” he begged.

Ariel and the Doctor stared at her with wide eyes and Amy looked down at the apple in her hands clenching it tightly and taking a deep breath before sighing softly and unlocking the car door.

“What do we do?” Amy asked.

“Stop that nurse,” the Doctor smirked. He grabbed Ariel’s hand and the three of them ran toward a nurse, not taking pictures of the sun like everyone else but, with his back turned, taking pictures of something else.

“Hi!” Ariel exclaimed as she and the Doctor swung around the man and stood in front of him each raising an eyebrow expectantly.

“The sun's going out, and you're photographing a man and a dog. Why?” The Doctor wondered.

Amy ran up to his side and the nurse’s eyes widened when he spotted her. “Amy,” he sighed.

“Hi!” Amy exclaimed, feigning a grin before the Doctor and Ariel. “Oh, this is Rory, he's a friend,” she sighed.

“Boyfriend,” Rory corrected with a shrug.

“Kind of boyfriend,” Amy shook her head.

The Doctor and Ariel shared an uncomfortable glance. It was so odd for Ariel to see ordinary couples and realize that if she hadn’t met the Doctor, she would’ve grown into another ordinary relationship. A relationship where you don’t know if you should tell the other person something because they might laugh or otherwise judge you. A relationship where after awhile you get to a point where you start questioning whether or not you made the right decision. A relationship where you question whether or not the other loves you with every beat of their heart. A relationship where you question yourself.

Ariel always told the Doctor everything. After she shared her darkest secrets with him, it came easily. It was as though she was telling herself every little thing she told the Doctor. She told him about her dreams, her strange thoughts throughout the day, her pet peeves. Everything. And he did the same for her.

She hated using the word perfect to describe something that clearly had flaws, but she felt like her relationship with the Doctor was perfect.

“Amy,” Rory sighed.

“Man and dog, why?” The Doctor repeated, narrowing his eyes at Rory.

“It's them, though,” Rory gasped, staring at the couple with wide eyes. “The Doctor. The Raggedy Doctor and Ariel. Ariel the Mermaid,” he frowned.

“Am I going to be called that all day?” Ariel groaned.

“They came back,” Amy nodded.

“But they were a story,” Rory reasoned with a small shrug. “A game.”

“Yeah, less talking, more to the point,” Ariel requested, waving her hands to signal her impatience.

“Man and dog,” the Doctor said. “Why? Tell us now,” he insisted.

“Sorry,” Rory sighed, shaking his head. He noticed he had gotten off track when right from the start the Doctor had only one question. Ariel smiled. She liked Rory, he didn’t seem to be like some of the idiots they had met in their travels. Not to mention the passengers on the planet Midnight. That was a nightmare she would never forget. “Because he can't be there,” Rory shrugged. “Because he's-.”

“In a hospital, in a coma,” the Doctor and Rory said in unison.

“Okay, that’s freaky,” Ariel remarked with a small frown.

“Yeah,” Rory sighed, glancing at the Doctor with wide eyes.

Ariel rolled her eyes and turned away. She wasn’t exactly talking about the Doctor speaking at the same time as him. He had done that to her thousands of times.

“So, he’s using a coma patient to get a body?” Ariel frowned at the Doctor.

“Multiform, you see?” The Doctor nodded. He wrapped an arm around Ariel and pointed to the man and the dog at the very edge of the field watching them “Disguise itself as anything, but it needs a live feed. A psychic link with a living but dormant mind. Prisoner Zero,” he sighed as the man barked at them.

“What?” Rory frowned. “There’s a Prisoner Zero too?”

“Yes,” Amy sighed.

“Do try an keep up Rory, we’re on a bit of a time crunch here,” Ariel said.

The Doctor chuckled and spun around, just in time to spot and eyeball spaceship scanning the planet. He tapped Ariel’s wrist and she spun around only to jump back at the sight of it.

“Y’know I have seen some pretty strange things traveling with you but an eyeball spaceship is by far one of the strangest,” Ariel remarked with a small frown.

“Weirder than the living fat?” The Doctor asked.

“Okay, they’re about matched,” Ariel shrugged and the Doctor chuckled.

“See, that ship up there is scanning this area for non-terrestrial technology,” the Doctor said, pointing up at the ship. “And nothing says non-terrestrial like a sonic screwdriver,” he smirked, pulling out his screwdriver.

“And then they can catch Prisoner Zero,” Ariel grinned, nodding along with him.

“Exactly,” the Doctor smiled.

The Doctor made all the streetlights explode, the car alarms go off and a poor woman's mobility scooter zoom off down the road.

The Doctor turned to Prisoner Zero who was just standing there snarling at them.

“I think someone's going to notice, don't you?” The Doctor asked with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

The Doctor blew up a red telephone box and the screwdriver blew up alongside it.

“No!”  Ariel cried as the screwdriver fell out of his hands.

The Doctor looked down at the screwdriver like his puppy had just died.

“No, no! No, don't do that!” The Doctor yelled, hopping down and clutching the screwdriver in his hands, trying frantically to turn it on again but it would not oblige.

“Look, it’s going,” Rory said, pointing at the eyeball spaceship that was turning around and away from them.

The Doctor jumped up and ran to the edge of the field, watching as the ship left.

“No, come back!” The Doctor cried. “He's here! Come back! He's here. Prisoner Zero is here. Come back, he's here! Prisoner Zero is-.”

Ariel watched as Prisoner Zero transformed his and the dog’s bodies into some sort of liquid and fell down the drain cover.

“Doctor!” Ariel exclaimed, running up to the drain cover and frowning as she peered down into it. “Where could you have gone?” She hummed, frowning at the empty drain.

“What?” The Doctor asked. “What is it?” He said, running up to Ariel and wrapping an arm around her as Rory and Amy ran up behind him.

“The drain,” Amy said, nodding to Ariel. She had seen it too. “It just sort of melted and went down the drain.”

“Well, of course it did,” the Doctor scoffed.

“What do we do now?” Amy asked with a small shrug.

“It's hiding in human form,” the Doctor sighed. “We need to drive it into the open. No Tardis, no screwdriver, seventeen minutes. Come on, think. Think!” He cried, hitting his head roughly and wincing.

Ariel pulled his hands away and held them in hers. “If Prisoner Zero uses coma patients then maybe it’s heading to the hospital to get a new source,” she suggested with a small shrug. “It knows that we’ve seen this one and are trying to send it back to it’s guards.”

“Oh, brilliant, you are!” The Doctor exclaimed. He kissed her on her forehead and squeezed her hand tightly. “But first we need to know if it had other forms. We need to figure out what faces it has already used,” he sighed.

“So, hold on, that thing, that hid in my house for twelve years?” Amy prompted with a raised eyebrow, pointing down at the drain cover.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow at Ariel, silently asking if he should explain. All too often he was impolite without knowing and it was nice to have Ariel by his side to ensure that he wasn’t about to be rude and scare Amy even further. She simply nodded. “Multiforms can live for millennia,” the Doctor said. “Twelve years is a pit-stop,” he shrugged.

“So how come you two show up again on the same day that lot do?” Amy wondered. “The same minute!” She snapped.

Ariel winced. That was a very unfortunate coincidence. Luckily, the Doctor had an explanation for it and to her relief, they weren’t the ones to blame.

“They're looking for him, but they followed us,” the Doctor said. “They saw us through the crack, got a fix, they're only late because we are,” he shrugged.

“What’s he on about?” Rory sighed.

“Nurse boy, give me your phone,” the Doctor snapped, clicking his fingers at Rory.

Ariel smiled politely at Rory and placed her hand on the Doctor’s shoulder. She raised an eyebrow at him and he frowned.

“What?” The Doctor said, glancing at her, then Amy and Rory. “That wasn’t being rude we’re on a time crunch,” he insisted and Ariel just rolled her eyes.

“How can they be real?” Rory wondered, glancing back at Amy. “They were never real.”

“Phone. Now. Give me,” the Doctor snapped and Rory just ignored him, carrying on talking to Amy as though they weren’t there.

“They were just a game. We were kids,” Rory shrugged. “You dressed up like her and you made me dress up as him,” he remembered and Amy turned bright red, her face mirroring the same shade as her hair as she glanced back at the couple.

“Oh, just shut up,” Ariel moaned. She snatched his phone out of his hand and tossed it to the Doctor.

The Doctor grinned and kissed her head before flicking through the images. Each was of a different person standing and appearing nonchalant but they were all coma patients somewhere in another hospital.

“These photos, they're are all coma patients?” The Doctor clarified, glancing up at Rory momentarily.

“Yeah,” Rory nodded.

“Nope. Wrong,” Ariel shook her head.

“They're all the multiform,” the Doctor nodded. “Eight comas, eight disguises for Prisoner Zero,” he hummed.

“He had a dog, though,” Amy remembered. “There's a dog in a coma?” She frowned.

“Well, the coma patient dreams he's walking a dog, Prisoner Zero gets a dog,” the Doctor sighed with a small shrug. “Laptop! Your friend, what was his name? Not him, the good-looking one.”

“Doctor,” Ariel warned.

“Thanks,” Rory sighed, rolling his eyes at the Doctor.

“Jeff,” Amy nodded.

Rory seemed even more surprised that his girlfriend had actually answered. He glanced up at Amy with wide eyes.

“Oh, thanks,” Rory moaned.

“He had a laptop in his bag. A laptop. Big bag, big laptop. I need Jeff's laptop,” the Doctor said.

“But what about Prisoner Zero?” Ariel asked. “He’s probably headed to that hospital right now,” she reminded him.

The Doctor sighed softly, silently frustrated he couldn't be in two places at once. He glanced up at Rory and Amy. “You two, get to the hospital. Get everyone out of that ward. Clear the whole floor. Phone me when you're done,” he instructed.

Amy nodded and turned to Rory. “Your car,” she said. “Come on.”

“But how can they be here?” Rory wondered, staring back at the couple as Amy grabbed his hand and dragged him to the car park. “How can the Doctor and Ariel be here?” He asked desperately.

Ariel grinned at the retreating form of Amy Pond. “She’s starting to believe,” she smiled.

“I know,” the Doctor hummed with a large grin painted across his face.

“She’s not so bad,” Ariel shrugged. “It’ll be weird traveling with someone I knew as a kid, though.”

“Ah, well you didn’t know her too long. It’d be stranger if it was Ross,” the Doctor reminded her.

“Ah, yeah,” Ariel nodded. “That would be weird.”

The Doctor smiled and grabbed her hand. “Come on,” he said. Ariel grinned and they ran through the field, back to Jeff’s house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't seen movies like; Love, Rosie, The Time Traveler's Wife, or About Time you totally should. Relationships like those are my inspiration for Ariel and the Doctor. Also, I know the Time Traveler's Wife isn't really like the book but in my opinion it's a bit easier to follow. The book jumps around a lot more.


	4. The Atraxi and the Moon

The Doctor and Ariel burst into Jeff’s room while he was using his laptop and the Doctor grinned at the sight of it. “Hello. Laptop. Give me,” he said, gesturing to Jeff like a greedy child.

Jeff fell back on his bed, clutching the screen of the laptop to his chest and staring at the couple with wide eyes as he shook his head. “No, no, no, no, wait,” he begged.

Ariel snorted. She liked how Jeff didn’t just tell them off for barging into his room and demanding his laptop. Instead, all he wanted to do was close out of his browser.

“It’s fine,” the Doctor assured him with a shrug. “Give it here,” he said, beginning a tug of war with Jeff for the laptop.

“Doctor, maybe we should-,” Ariel began, trying to tell him that he should probably find a more polite way of getting the laptop. However, her words died on her tongue as the Doctor ripped the laptop from Jeff’s arms. “Never mind,” she sighed.

“Hang on!” Jeff cried, scrambling forward as the Doctor sat on the edge of Jeff’s bed and his eyes grew ten sizes as he saw what was on the screen.

“Blimey,” the Doctor winced. “Get a girlfriend, Jeff,” he said, closing out of Jeff’s browser and opening a new one.

Ariel stepped back, momentarily disgusted as she glanced over at Jeff. “Ew,” Ariel moaned.

However, Jeff seemed to be going a onceover on Ariel, feeling quite the opposite as he smirked at her.

“Oh, when he said get a girlfriend he didn’t mean me!” Ariel snapped.

The Doctor’s eyes widened and he looked up, immediately turning to Jeff and pushing him backwards with a single finger to his forehead. “Hands off, mate. Don’t pick the first attractive girl you see,” he reprimanded. “She’s mine.”

Jeff sighed and rolled his eyes while Ariel blushed and squirmed giddily at the fact that the Doctor had just called her _his_.

Before they could get another word in, Jeff’s grandmother Mrs Angelo walked in and the Doctor beamed at her.

“Gran,” Jeff sighed as the woman entered the room.

Ariel took a seat beside the Doctor and peered over his shoulder at the laptop as he typed furiously.

“What are you doing?” Mrs Angelo asked.

“The sun's gone wibbly, so right now, somewhere out there, there's going to be a big old video conference call,” the Doctor smirked. “All the experts in the world panicking at once, and do you know what they need? Me. Ah, and here they all are. All the big boys. NASA, Jodrell Bank, Tokyo Space Centre, Patrick Moore,” he listed.

“I like Patrick Moore,” Mrs Angelo grinned.

“I bet he’d like you,” Ariel giggled.

“I'll get you his number,” the Doctor nodded. “But watch him, he's a devil,” he warned with a small smirk.

“You can’t just hack in on a call like that,” Jeff frowned, glancing at the screen and at the Doctor.

“Can’t I?” The Doctor grinned. He pressed enter and six different faces popped up on the screen, all looking equally confused as they stared at the Doctor.

The Doctor immediately pulled out his psychic paper and pressed it against the webcam.

“Who are you?” Patrick Moore asked.

“This is a secure call, what are you doing here?” Another man wondered.

“Hello," the Doctor waved with a small smile. “Yeah, I know you should switch me off, but before you do, watch this,” he said. “Fermat's Theorem, the proof. And I mean the real one. Never been seen before. Poor old Fermat, got killed in a duel before he could write it down. My fault. I slept in,” the Doctor shrugged. “Ariel over here wasn’t there to wake me up.”

“Oh, blame it on me,” Ariel moaned. “I was helping Newton with the reflecting telescope,” she reminded him. “I didn’t think he’d get it done if I’m honest. He kept experimenting and even told me he’d know what he was looking for when he found it. I thought that was rubbish, but what d'ya know?” She shrugged. “He got it done.”

“Have they gone mad,” Patrick Moore gasped.

“Well, maybe me but certainly not her,” the Doctor shook his head and Ariel grinned. “Oh, and here's an oldie but a goodie. Why electrons have mass. And a personal favourite of mine, faster than light travel with two diagrams and a joke. Look at your screens. Whoever I am, I'm a genius. Look at the sun. You need all the help you can get. Fellas, pay attention,” the Doctor instructed. He grabbed Rory’s phone from Ariel and began typing rapidly. Ariel just stared at the screen with wide eyes, as dumbfounded as the men watching them.

“But, sir, what are you doing?” The man from NASA asked.

“I'm writing a computer virus,” the Doctor said. “Very clever, super fast, and a tiny bit alive, but don't let on. And why am I writing it on a phone? Never mind, you'll find out. Okay, I'm sending this to all your computers. Get everyone who works for you sending this everywhere. Email, text, Facebook, Bebo, Twitter, radar dish, whatever you've got. Any questions?” The Doctor prompted with a raised eyebrow.

“Who is your lady friend?” Patrick Moore smirked, giving Ariel a onceover.

“Sorry, didn’t you call me mad two seconds ago?” Ariel frowned.

Patrick’s eyes widened and he backed away from the screen while the Doctor held back laughter and grinned at her.

“What does this virus do?” One of the men asked.

“It's a reset command, that's all,” the Doctor shrugged. “It resets counters. It gets in the wifi and resets every counter it can find. Clocks, calendars, anything with a chip will default at zero at exactly the same time. But yeah, I could be lying, why should you trust me? I'll let our best man explain,” he smiled.

Ariel glanced back at Jeff and raised an expectant eyebrow and Jeff just shrugged, unsure of who the Doctor was talking about.

“Erm, that’s you,” Ariel murmured.

“Jeff, you’re our best man,” the Doctor whispered with a nod.

“You what?” Jeff said with wide eyes, suddenly overwhelmed with what was being asked of him.

“Listen to me,” the Doctor sighed. “In ten minutes, you're going to be a legend. In ten minutes, everyone on that screen is going to be offering you any job you want. But first, you have to be magnificent. You have to make them trust you and get them working. This is it, Jeff, right here, right now. This is when you fly. Today's the day you save the world,” he grinned.

“Why me?” Jeff wondered, glancing hopelessly at Ariel and the Doctor.

“It’s your bedroom,” the Doctor shrugged.

“And your laptop,” Ariel added with a nod.

“Now, go, go, go!” The Doctor exclaimed. He grabbed Ariel’s hand and raced out the door while Jeff took a deep breath and pulled the laptop onto his lap.

The Doctor tugged Ariel back inside as she giggled and stared at Jeff with wide eyes.

“Oh, and delete your internet history,” the Doctor nodded and Ariel laughed as the Doctor pulled her out into the corridor once again and kissed her happily on the forehead.

“We need a lift,” Ariel sighed.

“I’ve got just the thing,” the Doctor smiled at a fire engine and glancing down at her.

“I love traveling with you,” Ariel giggled. She squealed delightfully as the Doctor pulled her across the street and they both got inside.

The Doctor sat in the driver’s seat and began speeding toward the hospital and Ariel turned on the sirens, grinning as she opened to the window and listened to them wailing.

“I’ve always wanted to do that,” Ariel laughed. “Hold on have we technically stolen this?” Ariel frowned as she realized. She didn’t consider it at first seeing as nobody was by the fire engine and with the Doctor she was used to just taking things they needed with little to no explanation, but she didn’t really see how they could ever give it back.

“I prefer commandeered,” the Doctor shrugged.

“So we stole it?” Ariel assumed.

“A bit, yeah,” the Doctor conceded with a sigh.

“How to you steal something a bit?”  Ariel giggled.

“I don’t know,” the Doctor sighed. Then his eyes widened and he straightened in his seat. “Oh, wait, I do know,” he nodded. “I know what it’s like. It’s like when someone takes a bit out of your food without asking but leaves the rest of it to you. They didn’t steal the whole thing,” the Doctor shrugged. “They only stole a bit of it.”

“Okay, but we’ve stolen the _whole_ fire engine,” Ariel reminded him with a nod, gesturing to the engine as though he needed clarification.

“Yeah, it’s a bit of a poor analogy now that I think about it,” the Doctor hummed.

Ariel giggled and shook her head. “You’re an idiot,” she chuckled. “But you’re an adorable idiot,” she grinned. She gave the Doctor a quick hug and pressed a kiss to his head as Rory’s phone rang.

“Oh, that’s rubbish timing,” the Doctor remarked. “Who is it?”

“It’s Amy,” Ariel said. “Hold on.” Ariel answered the phone and immediately put Amy on speaker. “Amy?” Ariel prompted.

“Ariel? Doctor?” Amy said. “We're at the hospital, but we can't get through.”

The Doctor and Ariel shared a look, both thinking the same thing but neither one saying it aloud.

“Oh, come on,” Ariel moaned.

“Look in the mirror,” the Doctor laughed.

“If I had that outfit I would so abuse it more than she’s done,” Ariel sighed.

“No, you wouldn’t,” the Doctor chuckled. “You’d be too scared of getting arrested because of all the stuff you’ve seen about prison on tele.”

“Well, it looks really scary!” Ariel exclaimed. “Much scarier than that prison on Courdeen where the Princess sentenced me to death by hanging.”

“Oh, that was a lot of fun,” the Doctor chuckled.

“Donna said she thought my face was going to get eaten off by that prisoner that told us he’d been in there for thirteen years,” Ariel giggled.

“I thought she said he’d been in there for thirty,” the Doctor frowned.

“However long, his breath smelled like he'd been living off of rats and spiders,” Ariel winced. “I honestly think he was still in there because they just forgot about him or didn’t wanna see him again.”

“Oh, that’s mean!” The Doctor laughed.

“It’s true!” Ariel cried. “You would’ve been scared to death by him if you hadn’t been negotiating with the fat King.”

“Yes, well if I hadn’t the pair of you wouldn’t have escaped now would you?” The Doctor asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah, but you cut it close yet again,” Ariel sighed. “They were putting the ropes round our necks when they announced the death sentence had been lifted.”

“What were you sentenced for again?” The Doctor frowned.

“The Princess had a crush on you and was jealous of me and when Donna tried to defend me, she sentenced her too,” Ariel nodded.

“And where was I?” The Doctor wondered.

“Eating scones with the Prime Minister who looked a bit like a squid,” Ariel giggled.

“Oh, yeah,” the Doctor grinned. “I didn’t know Princess Missandei was jealous,” he frowned.

“It hardly matters,” Ariel shrugged. “If she were from Earth she’d be about thirteen. No thirteen year old should be giving out death sentences.”

“Well, you’re not wrong there,” the Doctor mumbled.

All too soon, the voice of Amy Pond snapped them back to reality.

“Are you on your way?” Amy asked. “You’re going to need a car.”

Ariel snorted. “Oh, you don’t have to worry about that,” she assured her, grinning at the Doctor.

“I’ve commandeered a vehicle,” the Doctor nodded.

“Oh, stop saying commandeered, we stole it,” Ariel giggled.

“Commandeered!” The Doctor corrected.

“Do you feel better saying you didn't steal it even though you technically stole the Tardis?” Ariel wondered. “So, it’s not like this is your first time stealing,” she shrugged.

“Yes,” the Doctor said.

Ariel smiled and sighed softly, shaking her head at the Doctor. “Alright, we commandeered it,” she conceded.

The Doctor grinned. “Thank you.”

Amy called the phone once again and Ariel answered immediately, putting it on speaker.

“Are you in?” The Doctor asked.

“Yep,” Amy nodded. “But so’s Prisoner Zero.”

Ariel sucked in a sharp breath and she and the Doctor shared a look.

“You need to get out of there,” the Doctor breathed.

“Amy, just leg it. We’ll be there in a few. Don’t worry,” Ariel assured her.

All of a sudden, there was a sharp scream from the other end of the line.

“Oh, my God!” Rory cried.

“What is it?!” Ariel exclaimed.

“Amy?” The Doctor tried. “Amy, what's happening?” He asked desperately.

All they heard were loud footsteps as though she and Rory were running and Ariel and the Doctor shared a wide eyed look, both feeling the fear twist in the pits of their stomachs but unwilling to verbalize it.

“Amy, come on!” Ariel cried.

“Amy, talk to us!” The Doctor snapped.

“We're in the coma ward, but it's here,” Amy gasped. “It's getting in,” she said.

The Doctor sucked in a sharp breath and they rounded the corner into the car park.

“Do you think we’ll make it?” Ariel asked.

“We don’t have another choice,” the Doctor sighed. “Which window are you?” He asked Amy.

“I’m sorry?” Amy prompted with a frown.

“Which window?” The Doctor repeated.

There was a beat as Amy took a moment to peer outside and figure out where she was so she could tell them. “First floor, on the left, fourth from the end,” she said.

“She is brilliant,” Ariel hummed.

The Doctor smirked. “What do you think? Should she come?” The Doctor asked.

Ariel didn’t want to admit it, but a tiny part of her was disappointed that he wanted to find another companion. She understood that he wanted other people to travel with, and that was just part of who he was, but she had enjoyed traveling with him alone. It was nice having their own small routine and going to whatever place they wanted whenever they wanted. She liked having Donna around, but when she had an easy relationship with the Doctor with nobody else around to interfere, it was much more fun.

She almost wanted to say no, just so she could hang onto that life with him a little longer, but glancing into his hopeful eyes, there was no way she could deny him of another friend. Sure, she wanted to travel alone with the Doctor but she couldn’t force him into that life and make him miserable because of that. She loved him way too much to ever do that to him.

Besides, she knew Amy would be brilliant traveling with them.

Ariel took a deep breath and smiled. “Yeah,” Ariel nodded. “She should come.”

The Doctor grinned and drove the fire engine up to the hospital. “Tell Amy to duck,” he said.

Ariel’s eyes widened and she rapidly texted _Duck!_ to Amy as the Doctor grabbed her hand and bolted to the ladder. He extended the ladder so it went through the window and together they climbed up it and through the window. The Doctor turned to Ariel and helped her through, lifting her off the ladder and placing her down by his side.

Across from Amy and Rory, a woman and her two daughters on either side of her were sneering at them. Prisoner Zero had taken a new form.

“Right!” The Doctor exclaimed with a clap of his hands. “Hello. Are we late?” He asked.

Ariel glanced at the large clock on the wall and shook her head. There was still three minutes left for them. “No, we’ve got time,” Ariel said.

“Three minutes to go,” the Doctor confirmed with a nod. “So still time,” he concluded.

“Time for what, Time Lord?” Prisoner Zero spat as though it were an insult.

“Oh, don’t play clever,” Ariel snapped, shaking her head at Prisoner Zero.

“Take the disguise off,” the Doctor instructed. “They'll find you in a heartbeat. Nobody dies.”

“The Atraxi will kill me this time,” Prisoner Zero scoffed. “If I am to die, let there be fire.”

“Really going with the overdramatic end, are you?” Ariel sighed and Prisoner Zero granted her nothing more than an irritated eye roll.

“Okay,” the Doctor muttered. “You came to this world by opening a crack in space and time. Do it again. Just leave,” he persisted.

“I did not open the crack,” Prisoner Zero said, shaking her head.

Ariel and the Doctor shared a frown. If Prisoner Zero didn’t open the crack, then who did?

“Somebody did,” the Doctor nodded.

“The cracks in the skin of the universe, don't you know where they came from?” Prisoner Zero sighed. “You don't, do you?” She smirked when she saw he was completely lost, like Christmas had just come early for her. “The Doctor in the Tardis doesn't know. Doesn't know. Doesn't know!” She taunted in a little girl’s voice like the kind notorious for bullying people on school play yards.

“Shut it!” Ariel snapped. She hated listening to people insult the Doctor. Rather than thinking things through, she followed her basic instinct. She started to dive towards Prisoner Zero and the Doctor simply grabbed her wrist and shook his head. “But she-,” Ariel tried and he shook his head once again. Ariel gave in with an annoyed sigh and Prisoner Zero laughed at them.

“Look at you two,” Prisoner Zero sighed. “Can’t even decide what to do with me,” she smirked. “And yet when it comes down to it, the precious Doctor would go so far to save her life,” she smiled although it appeared much more like a grimace.

“What are you talking about?!” Ariel exclaimed.

“Oh, didn’t you ever guess it?” Prisoner Zero asked. “ _The girl fated to destroy time._ You didn’t think a little human like you could do that all on her own did you?”

“Don’t listen to her,” the Doctor mumbled. “She’s just trying to get inside your head.”

“Yeah, Mickey said that too,” Ariel nodded. “But what if it’s true, Doctor? What if it’s all true? What is it? What’s going to happen?”

“The universe is cracked,” Prisoner Zero The Pandorica will open. Silence will fall,” she sighed.

The Doctor took a deep breath and glanced at the clock, all too happy to finally be able to change the subject. “And we're off!” The Doctor exclaimed and Ariel sighed softly before pulling on a grin for the man she loved. “Look at that. Look at that!” He laughed.

The clock said 0:00, and it wasn’t just that one. Across the world. Everything was resetting back to zero just as they had hoped.

“Yeah, I know, just a clock,” the Doctor sighed. “Whatever. But do you know what's happening right now? In one little bedroom, our team are working. Jeff and the world. And do you know what they're doing? They're spreading the word all over the world, quantum fast. The word is out. And do you know what the word is? The word is Zero. Now, me, if I was up in the sky in a battleship, monitoring all Earth communications, I'd probably take that as a hint. And if I had a whole battle fleet surrounding the planet, I'd be able track a simple old computer virus to its source in, what, under a minute? The source, by the way, is right here,” he smirked, holding up Rory’s phone with pride.

Just then, outside the window Ariel and the Doctor had entered from, a bright light shined into the coma ward.

“Oh!” The Doctor laughed. “And I think they just found us!” He exclaimed.

Ariel giggled and grabbed the Doctor’s hand, spinning around in glee as Prisoner Zero simply rolled her eyes.

“The Atraxi are limited,” Prisoner Zero sighed. “While I'm in this form, they'll still be unable to detect me. They've tracked a phone, not me,” she shook her head.

“Yeah, but this is the good bit,” the Doctor nodded. “I mean, this is my favourite bit. Do you know what this phone is full of?” He asked with a raised eyebrow. “Pictures of you. Every form you've learned to take, right here. Ooo, and being uploaded about now. And the final score is, no Tardis, no screwdriver, two minutes to spare. Who da man?” He exclaimed, stretching his arms out and glancing around with a smirk.

Ariel just winced and sighed softly at him while shaking her head. 

“Oh, I'm never saying that again,” the Doctor moaned. “Fine,” he said, seeming a bit sore after the failed catchphrase.

It wasn’t that it was awful, it was just that Ariel didn’t want to hear a thousand year old alien saying that to literally anybody.

“Then I shall take a new form,” Prisoner Zero shrugged as though it were no big deal.

“Oh, stop it,” the Doctor scoffed. "You know you can't. It takes months to form that kind of psychic link.”

“Oh, Doctor,” Prisoner Zero sighed. “You underestimate me. I’ve had years to develop new tricks,” she smirked.

All of a sudden, both Amy and Ariel collapsed and all at once both of the Doctor’s hearts stopped.

The Doctor fell to his knees and cupped Ariel’s cheek, completely disregarding Amy for the moment to the displeasure of Rory.

“No, no, Ariel look at me,” the Doctor begged. “Ariel, don’t close your eyes! Ariel! Amy?” The Doctor prompted, glancing back at the ginger. “You've got to hold on. Amy? Don't sleep! You've got to stay awake, please,” he pleaded, desperate not to lose both of them on that day.

All of a sudden, Prisoner Zero transformed and she morphed into a tall girl holding onto the hand of a young ginger with a taunting smile.

“Doctor?” Rory breathed and nodded to the two women standing before them. The Doctor’s eyes widened as he spotted the woman he loved, imitated by some creature. He could stand a lot, but not watching as they took her form away, that was the one thing he wouldn’t stand.

“Poor Ariel Parsons,” the Prisoner Zero duplicate of her sighed. “Always relying on her Doctor to save the day when all he’s ever done is let her down. Poor Amy Pond. Still such a child inside. Dreaming of the magic Doctor she knows will return to save her. What a disappointment you've been,” the duplicate Ariel spat and the Doctor winced as he watched those words come from Ariel’s lips. “The girls dream of such horrors with you away. Monsters living in dark and lonely rooms without their Raggedy Doctor to make them bright again.”

“That’s not Prisoner Zero,” the Doctor mumbled, his eyes growing large. “That’s Ariel.” She could hear him. She was doing just as he had done on Midnight so long ago. She was fighting back against the alien, trying to give him a message and help him save the day.

“What?” Rory frowned. “How do you know?”

“Because I know Ariel,” the Doctor smiled, glancing down at the brunette laying on the ground. “I know what she dreams about and I know not once has she ever dreamed about monsters or dark rooms,” he beamed. “She’s trying to remind me,” he said. “Remind me what Amy saw,” he nodded. “Oh, you are brilliant, you are!” The Doctor exclaimed. He pressed a kiss to Ariel’s forehead and ran over to Amy.

“No, no, no, no!” Prisoner Zero cried, fighting back against Ariel and fighting back against what Ariel was trying to do. 

“Amy, don't just hear me, listen,” the Doctor insisted, lifting Amy’s head up so he could talk to her rapidly. He didn’t know how long Ariel had control, but he needed to make sure she was able to pass the link onto Amy. “Remember the room, the room in your house you couldn't see. Remember you went inside. I tried to stop, but you did. You went in the room. You went inside. Amy, dream about what you saw,” he insisted.

“No!” The duplicate of Ariel shrieked and the bodies began shaking as she transformed once again, into the creature Amy had seen in that room.

“Well done, Prisoner Zero. A perfect impersonation of yourself,” the Doctor smirked at the snake like creature, glaring at him.

“Prisoner Zero is located,” the Atraxi announced through the window. “Prisoner Zero is restrained.”

“Silence, Doctor,” Prisoner Zero hissed as the bright light shined through the window. “Silence will fall.”

And with that warning, Prisoner Zero was restrained once again and disappeared with a rush of wind.

“The sun,” Rory breathed as the bright light of the sun shined back down on the Earth once again. “It's back to normal, right? That's, that's good, yeah? That means it's over.”

Before the Doctor could refute that assumption, Amy woke up with a cough and Rory jumped over to her, helping her get her bearings once again.

“Amy,” Rory breathed. “Are you okay? Are you with us?” He asked desperately, watching Amy with wide worried eyes.

The Doctor barely paid attention or acknowledged that Amy was awake. He just stood firm with a clenched jaw watching as Ariel still laid unconscious on the ground.

“What happened?” Amy asked with a curious frown, glancing at Rory and the Doctor.

“He did it,” Rory nodded, staring at the Doctor, still a bit angry that the mad hadn’t paid attention to Amy when she was unconscious. He seemed to only notice the ginger as an afterthought rather than a genuine concern. “The Doctor did it,” he said.

Just then, Ariel woke up, sitting upright with a sharp gasp.

She started coughing loudly and the Doctor grinned and knelt before her, brushing her hair out of her stormy grey eyes as he smiled at her. “No, I didn’t,” the Doctor said, shaking his head, beaming at the person who had saved them all.

Ariel had saved them. He had just helped her along a bit.

“So, I take it we won?” Ariel prompted with a small smirk.

The Doctor laughed and wrapped her in a hug, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “You were brilliant,” he said.

Ariel beamed at him and wrapped him in another hug. “I’m glad you got the message,” she nodded.

“Well, it’s not over yet,” the Doctor sighed.

Ariel frowned and glanced at the window where the Atraxi had been. “Are they still here?” She asked.

“Yep,” the Doctor muttered, looking as annoyed as Ariel felt. “Come on,” he said, holding out his hand to help her off the ground.

“What are you doing?” Rory asked.

“Tracking the signal back,” the Doctor murmured. “Sorry in advance,” he said.

“About what?” Rory asked.

“The bill,” the Doctor sighed as he pressed the phone to his ear. Ariel snickered. He was really phoning the Atraxi to stop them from burning the planet. That man would never cease to amaze her.

“Oi, I didn't say you could go!” The Doctor exclaimed. “Article fifty seven of the Shadow Proclamation. This is a fully established level five planet, and you were going to burn it? What? Did you think no-one was watching? You lot, back here, now,” he snapped. He tossed the phone back to Rory and sighed. “Okay, now I've done it,” he said as he grabbed Ariel’s hand and marched out of the room.

“Did he just bring them back?” Rory asked with wide eyes, glancing at the retreating couple and Amy. “Did he just save the world from aliens and then bring all the aliens back again?”

Amy scrambled up and ran after the pair and Rory soon followed as they marched through the hospital corridor on their way to the roof.

“Where are you going?” Amy asked.

“The roof,” the Doctor replied and glanced to his right. His eyes widened when he spotted the doctor’s locker room. “No, hang on,” he said and dragged Ariel into the room with him. Amy and Rory ran after them in confusion.

The Doctor started shuffling through all the miscellaneous clothes and tossed some over his shoulder, landing in Ariel’s arms.

“What’s in here?” Amy wondered.

“Apparently a costume change,” Ariel sighed, frowning at the clothes in her arms.

“I'm saving the world - I need a decent shirt,” the Doctor shrugged. “To hell with the raggedy. Time to put on a show.”

“Now’s when he picks the outfit this face won’t take off for who knows how long,” Ariel giggled. “I had to ask him to wear a different tie once just so he could change _something_ ,” she said.

“You just summoned aliens back to Earth,” Rory reminded him as though he didn’t already realize that. “Actual aliens, deadly aliens, aliens of death, and now you're taking your clothes off. Amy, he's taking his clothes off,” he sighed.

“Turn your back if it embarrasses you,” the Doctor shrugged as he peeled off his shirt.

“Are you stealing clothes now? Those clothes belong to people, you know,” Rory said awkwardly before sighing softly and turning around. He glanced at Ariel and Amy, still staring at the Doctor and smirking. “Are you two not going to turn your backs?” He asked.

The two women shared a grin and shook their heads. “Nope,” they said in unison.

Rory rolled his eyes and turned away as the Doctor peeled off his trousers. This was the first time Ariel was able to see all of the Doctor’s new body. She wasn’t going to pass it up just because it was in public.

Ariel watched with a large grin as the Doctor tried on several shirts and tossed them to the side or to her.

“Ariel can you grab that jacket?” The Doctor asked, pointing to a brown suede jacket hanging precariously over a locker door. “I may want it later,” he hummed.

“Sure,” Ariel shrugged. She snatched the jacket off the locker door and he turned with a sigh.

The Doctor had several ties draped around his neck and a new shirt as well as suspenders dangling off his trousers. He took a deep breath and nodded. “I’m ready.”

Ariel grinned and held out the hand not holding all his clothes to him. He smiled and grabbed it, running out the door without another word. Amy watched them with wide eyes, a bit overwhelmed at how quickly they had gotten over him changing in public.

She sighed softly and shook her head to clear away the thought before running after them.

“Hold on, are we not going to talk about what just happened here?!” Rory exclaimed, running after Amy and the others.

The Doctor and Ariel marched up to the roof and the Doctor slammed the door open while the Atraxi waited patiently for them, hovering just slightly over the building.

“So this was a good idea, was it?” Amy prompted, frowning at the large eyeball over the hospital. “They were leaving.”

“Leaving is good,” the Doctor nodded. “Never coming back is better. Come on, then! The Doctor will see you now,” he smiled. He tossed a tie he didn’t like over his shoulder casually and Ariel draped it around her neck, grinning at him.

The eyeball flew out of its ship and hovered mere inches away from the Doctor.

The Atraxi scanned the Doctor with a blue light and the Doctor just stared up at them while trying out different ties with the shirt he wore.

“You are not of this world,” the Atraxi observed.

“No, but I’ve put a lot of work into it,” the Doctor replied with a soft sigh as he tossed another tie over his shoulder.

The Doctor compared two ties on top of his shirt and frowned. “Oh, hmm, I don't know. What do you think?” He asked. When the Atraxi didn’t respond, he spun around and held up two ties to Ariel, raising an eyebrow.

“Neither,” Ariel frowned. “Go with the red one, it matches the suspenders,” she nodded.

“Oh, good call,” the Doctor hummed. He tossed the two ties to her and shuffled through all the others he had draped around his neck.

“Is this world important?” The Atraxi asked.

“Important?” Ariel scoffed. “What sort of a question is that?” She asked.

“What's that mean, important?” The Doctor wondered. “Six billion people live here. Is that important? Here's a better question. Is this world a threat to the Atraxi? Well, come on. You're monitoring the whole planet. Is this world a threat?” He asked, nodding the Atraxi on.

The Atraxi moved back and produced a blue hologram of the world and the events within between them. When it finished the scan, the hologram closed. “No,” the Atraxi said.

“Are the peoples of this world guilty of any crime by the laws of the Atraxi?” The Doctor asked with a raised eyebrow as he tossed another tie over his shoulder.

The Atraxi produced another quick hologram, scanning various populations of people before it closed once again. “No,” the Atraxi replied.

“Okay,” the Doctor sighed. “One more. Just one,” he nodded. “Is this world protected? Because you're not the first lot to come here. Oh, there have been so many.”

The Atraxi produced a hologram of the various aliens the Doctor had defeated. The Daleks, the Cybermen, the Sycorax. You name it.

“And what you've got to ask is, what happened to them?” The Doctor wondered.

The hologram changed to show a run through of all the previous Doctors. All his other faces.

The Doctor stepped back and grabbed the suede jacket from Ariel, pulling it on and smirking as the hologram got through his ninth and tenth faces.

When the hologram finally froze on his tenth face, he stepped through it and smiled at the Atraxi. “Hello,” the Doctor said. “I’m the Doctor. Basically,” he sighed. “Run.”

The eyeball swerved back into its ship and flew away very fast, leaving the Earth without a second of hesitation.

All of a sudden, the Doctor doubled back and Ariel ran up to him, peering over his shoulder as he pulled out a glowing Tardis key. Ariel and the Doctor shared a grin and he grabbed her hand, running to the door to the hospital without a second thought.

They ran all the way back to the Tardis, overwhelmed with excitement as they got to the back of the garden and spotted the Tardis sitting there with an orangey glow coming from the windows.

Ariel and the Doctor smiled at each other and Ariel squeezed his hand, antsy with excitement.

“Okay, what have you got for me this time?” The Doctor sighed.

The Doctor stepped up to the door and opened it cautiously, anxious of what may be awaiting him on the other side.

When the door swung open, Ariel’s jaw dropped at the sight. She grinned at the beautiful yellow and orange lights and marvelled at how the Tardis looked even more gorgeous than when she had first seen it a year ago.

“Oh, brilliant,” Ariel breathed.

“Look at you,” the Doctor grinned. “Oh, you sexy thing! Look at you.”

The Doctor glanced down at Ariel and raised an eyebrow. She just smiled and nodded, taking his hand and stepping into the Tardis with him.

“So, where should we go?!” The Doctor exclaimed. “Brand new Tardis, all of time and space! What’ll it be?!”

“Have we ever been to the moon before?” Ariel wondered, running up to the console and leaning on it as she always did, standing by the Doctor’s side.

“The moon is is,” the Doctor beamed. “But what do you say we make this a tiny bit more interesting, eh? What would you say to unofficially being the first human to ever step foot on the moon?” He prompted.

Ariel’s eyes widened. “Seriously?” She breathed.

“Why not?” The Doctor smiled. He set in the coordinates and held out his hand to Ariel.

Ariel giggled delightfully and grabbed it as he pulled the lever and sent them flying.

~~~

Ariel ran through the Tardis wildly, trying to find a spacesuit. “Have you seen the swimming pool?” She called. “It wasn’t in the library and it still wasn’t in the room made for it!” She cried as she stepped into the spacesuit.

“Was it in your room?” The Doctor frowned.

“No, I already checked,” Ariel shook her head. “It wasn’t in the garden or your room either.”

“Maybe, she just misplaced it,” the Doctor said, placing his hand delicately on the console.

“Yeah, the question is where,” Ariel sighed as she pulled on the helmet. She sighed softly and grinned at the Doctor. “What do you think?”

“I think you look brilliant,” the Doctor smiled. “Come on, we should be here a year before Neil Armstrong. You might want to meet the species that inhabit the moon though,” he shrugged as he spun around the console.

Ariel froze, her eyes widening as she darted after the Doctor. “Wait, what?!” She exclaimed.

“We’re here!” The Doctor cried with a grin. He ran up to the door and swung it open to reveal the barren moon before them.

Ariel stepped up to the doorway and stared at it with wide eyes. “All those pictures in class,” Ariel mumbled. “I never thought it would be this beautiful,” she smiled.

The Doctor grinned down at her and pulled out a bright orange spacesuit. “What do you think?” He asked, holding it up with an excited smile.

“Is that the one you wore to Mars?” Ariel frowned. “You’ve gotten a bit shorter since your last body.”

“Ah, only an inch,” the Doctor shrugged. “I’ll be fine.”

“That must be so weird. Shrinking in size,” Ariel remarked with a soft sigh. “Still, it brings out your eyes,” she nodded.

“I know right?!” The Doctor exclaimed with a laugh. “Come on, if we hurry, we can have time for cocktails.”

“Oh, yes!” Ariel grinned. “I’d love a Cosmopolitan. I haven’t had a good cocktail since Agatha Christie.”

“It’s a shame she had to forget it,” the Doctor shrugged as he pulled on his helmet.

“Seriously,” Ariel sighed.

“Are you ready?” The Doctor smirked, holding out his hand.

“Always,” Ariel grinned. She took his hand and they ran outside before allowing the low gravity to sweep them off their feet and giggling wildly as they did so.

They bounced around for an hour until a white rocket ship flew straight toward the moon and landed loudly a couple hundred feet across from them. Ariel watched it with wide eyes as it landed and slid down in the Doctor’s arms to press her feet on the moon’s surface.

“What day did you say it was?” Ariel wondered.

“I didn’t,” the Doctor shook his head, noticing the ship as well. His concern began to grow alongside Ariel’s as his gaze remained fixed on it.

“Didn’t you say we were a year before the first humans stepped foot on the moon?” Ariel frowned.

“Yeah,” the Doctor mumbled.

“What was the rest of the date on the Tardis console?” Ariel asked. “Besides the year it’s supposed to be, 1968.”

The Doctor took a shaky breath. “The twenty-fourth of July,” he murmured, realizing he had probably misread the date.

“Is there any chance that this is the twenty-fourth of July, 1969, and _not_ 1968?” Ariel prompted.

“There is a very large chance of that, yes,” the Doctor nodded.

“Bloody hell!” Ariel cried.

“Oi, don’t swear!” The Doctor reprimanded.

“Oh, you can hush up,” Ariel moaned. “We’re about to meet Neil Armstrong and inform him that he’s actually _not_ the first person on the moon. All in all, not the best way to greet someone,” she shrugged.

“We could just leave you know,” the Doctor suggested with wide, innocent eyes that sparkled slightly when she gazed up at him, portraying that diar instinct of wanting to stay no matter the circumstances.

It didn’t take long before the Doctor and Ariel dissolved into loud laughter, kneeling over as they grinned at each other. They both knew there was no way they would leave so soon. Especially not when neither of them had met Neil Armstrong. It was an opportunity they couldn’t pass up on.

“I wonder what’s taking so long,” Ariel frowned, narrowing her eyes at Apollo eleven. “He should get on with the ‘one small step for man’ stuff, I’m getting kinda hungry.”

“You’re hungry?” The Doctor frowned, glancing down at her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders and glancing down at her with immediate concern. He hadn’t stopped to consider that the last time Ariel had eaten was before she even met the Master.

“Oh, it’s no big deal,” Ariel shrugged. “I’m running on adrenaline,” she assured him with a soft smile and a small nod. She didn’t need him growing concerned about her when they were about to meet Neil Armstrong. Though it was adorable, she wasn’t dying for food at the moment. She knew she would survive.

Eventually, Neil Armstrong got out of Apollo 11, sparking the interest of the Doctor and Ariel.

The ladder descended and Neil Armstrong, in his bulky astronaut suit, stepped down it slowly.

“Okay, I’m gonna step off the ladder,” Neil announced. “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” he said, speaking the famous words that would go down in history.

Ariel glanced up at the Doctor with wide, anxious eyes, silently screaming the question she had been dying to ask since she had seen Neil finally appear.

The Doctor chuckled and nodded. “Yes, we can go,” he said. “I believe all they have left to do is put the flag up,” he mumbled with a slight frown.

“Then they leave?” Ariel asked and the Doctor nodded.

“The first trip to the moon by mankind lasted barely two minutes,” the Doctor said.

“Huh,” Ariel muttered. “When you learn about it in classes and read about it, it always seemed like it was longer. Like they wandered around and collected rocks and rubbish.”

“Oh, they did,” the Doctor nodded. “It didn’t take them long though. How long did you think it took to grab space rocks?” He frowned.

“Ten minutes?” Ariel winced. Looking at it now, she couldn’t believe she thought it had taken so long. Clearly they wouldn’t need much. “I don’t know,” she shrugged. “Stop staring at me.”

The Doctor laughed and grabbed her hand. “Come on. Remember to steer clear of the TV cameras,” he advised and Ariel nodded.

It wouldn’t bode well to have her face appear on TV screens twenty-one years before she was born, and even still, inform the world that she and the Doctor were the actual first footprints on the moon and Neil had come in as a nice third.

They stepped up behind the cameras as the two other astronauts that had traveled with Neil left the spacecraft. Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins.

“Hello,” the Doctor beamed. “I’m the Doctor and this is Ariel,” he introduced, gesturing to Ariel who grinned and waved politely at the three men.

Neil nearly knocked his head right on the ship at the sound of voices other than Buzz and Michael. “What the hell?!” Neil exclaimed, staring at the pair of them with wide eyes.

“Colombia, Colombia, this is Houston, has something gone wrong? Over.”

Ariel’s eyes widened and she pressed a finger to her lips. “Shh, we’re not here,” she said. “As far as the world is concerned, you were the first man on the moon,” she told him.

“She’s right,” the Doctor nodded. “Nobody needs to know we were here.”

The three men exchanged wary glances, unsure if they should go along with the lie. Two strange people had shown up on the moon before them and seemed to know exactly who they were. Shouldn’t they tell Earth about that?

However, despite their rationale, the three men did like the idea of being labeled the first expedition on the moon instead of just a close second. They wanted to go back home and receive the praise and admiration from their loved ones, rather than the pity of being just a few seconds too late.

Buzz was the first to decide, taking a deep breath and nodding to Neil. It wasn’t worth it to blow that perfect image in front of the whole world. They could even risk turning into massive jokes back at NASA. None of them wanted to face that.

Neil sighed softly and nodded.

“Houston, this is Colombia. Nothing to worry about,” Neil assured NASA. “Over.”

“Brilliant,” Ariel grinned.

“Now that that’s settled, would you two mind telling us who the hell you are?” Michael frowned. “You sound British.”

“That’s ‘cos I am,” Ariel frowned. “Got a problem with that, do ya?”

“No,” Michael shook his head. “I just wasn’t aware Britain had a program set in place to get people on the moon.”

“Oh, they don’t,” the Doctor shook his head. “It’s a bit more complicated than that,” he sighed.

“Well, start talking,” Buzz insisted. “Because we just lied to the whole planet about being the first people on the moon.”

The Doctor and Ariel shared a look. Neither had been sure if they should tell the astronauts where they had come from considering the fact that humanity had just taken its first steps out to the moon. Hearing of time and space travel and aliens might overwhelm the men. Regardless, the Doctor shrugged. They weren’t going to stop asking soon and it was easier to just tell them and get it over with.

“We’re time travellers,” Ariel said simply and Neil dropped the large equipment he had been heaving in shock.

“What?” Michael gasped, his mouth hanging open as he stared at them with wide eyes, hoping it was some odd joke.

“Ariel came from the year 2008, after you had already made history as the first man on the moon,” the Doctor nodded, smirking slightly at Neil.

“You’re joking,” Buzz frowned, praying that was the case.

“Nope,” Ariel shook her head. “‘Fraid not,” she shrugged.

“Then, you’re insane,” Michael nodded, shrugging as though that was the only reasonable explanation. “Both of you. Time travel isn’t possible.”

“Well, it’s possible in the future,” Ariel said. “Who’s to say we didn’t travel from the future where time travel is possible just to see this moment. You three have made history you know.”

“But wouldn’t there be rules against that?” Neil shook his head. “Something to stop you from traveling back to this time?”

Ariel glanced up at the Doctor with a raised eyebrow. “This is usually his department,” Ariel sighed. “I’m hardly an expert.”

“Time isn’t exactly what everyone assumes,” the Doctor said simply. "People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually — from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint — it's more like a big ball of wibbly-wobbly... timey-wimey... stuff,” he sighed. The sentence got away from him yet again. Sally’s words echoed in his mind as he failed to explain it cohesively.

“Okay, but why now?” Michael wondered. “Why, right as we’re landing?”

“Well, we’re only in this year because someone got the timing a bit off!” Ariel snapped.

“Oi, new Tardis!” The Doctor exclaimed. “You’re lucky we didn’t wind up in the fifty-first century. That’s a harsh era to be on the moon,” he shivered.

“Wait, so you didn’t actually want to wind up here?” Buzz frowned.

“Not really, no,” the Doctor sighed. “We were going for about a year before you lot.”

“Great, so we get time travel in the future and it just winds up being screwy,” Buzz murmured.

“Oh, no, not you lot,” the Doctor assured them with a shake of his head. “You lot pull it off brilliantly. Albeit, a few misconstrued landings on the Titanic, but no major blunders.”

“If we pull it off well, then why are you screwing it up?” Michael wondered.

Ariel snickered and glanced up at the Doctor, trying to hide her smile. “I’m sorry, but it’s a good point,” she shrugged.

“Hold on, you said ‘you lot’. What do you mean by that?” Buzz frowned.

“The Doctor’s an alien,” Ariel shrugged.

“Oh, this is way too much for my head,” Neil moaned.

“But he looks human,” Michael remarked.

“No, we look Time Lord,” Ariel shook her head. “That’s his species. They came before us.”

“But you’re not-?” Buzz prompted, glancing down at Ariel with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh, no,” the Doctor shook his head. “Ariel is completely human,” he assured them.

“Great, ‘cause I don’t think I can take two aliens walking up to me when I’ve just landed on the moon,” Neil sighed, rubbing his helmet as though he were rubbing his forehead.

Ariel giggled as she watched them try to digest all the information they were giving them. They knew it was a lot, but they couldn’t exactly explain their presence on the moon without throwing it all at them. They didn’t plan on lying to the team and forcing them to go back home thinking something was completely wrong. It was easier to explain it all to them and leave knowing they wouldn’t tell others, mostly because as the three of them glanced at each other, they knew that nobody would believe them. Humanity was already astounded they could reach the moon, there was no way they’d believe in time travel and aliens just yet. The only reason the three men did believe them was the proof standing right before their eyes.

They had heard nothing of Britain launching an expedition to the moon and they didn’t see a large spaceship telling the team that the pair were lying and had come from the Earth. Even the spacesuits the pair wore looked entirely different from what they would’ve found on Earth. There was no doubt in their minds that they were somewhere else.

However, before the trio could bombard the pair with questions about the strange alien and the future, there was a loud shrill scream from off in the distance.

They all turned to the source and spotted nothing, meaning they would have to find out whatever the hell that was.

“Don’t tell me,” Neil sighed. “More time travelers,” he groaned.

“I don’t think so,” Ariel chuckled, glancing at the source of the sound with slight concern. “Regardless,” she breathed and glanced up at the Doctor.

“Right,” the Doctor nodded. “We should get going. It was good meeting all of you,” he waved. He grabbed Ariel’s hand and started running in the direction of the scream while the three men frowned after them.

“You’re not really going towards that, are you?!” Michael called.

“It’s kind of what we do,” Ariel shrugged, glancing back at them with a small smirk before turning back to the Doctor.

“Don’t tell me you’re thinking of going with them,” Buzz frowned, watching as Michael stared at the couple with wide eyes.

“They need help,” Michael shrugged. “Plus, I think we’ve got things covered here,” he nodded, glancing down at the equipment. “Whatever that was, it sounded bad.”

“Which is exactly why we should stay back,” Neil sighed. “That girl, Ariel, she said we were remembered in history. Don’t you wanna live to see that legacy?”

“We can’t let them go out there and risk their lives just so we get to live out a legacy,” Michael shook his head. “Stay behind if you want, but I’m gonna help them,” he said once again with a short nod before turning his attention to the Doctor and Ariel and running after them.

“He’s gonna get himself killed,” Neil murmured.

“Not if we go after him,” Buzz said with wide eyes.

“What?” Neil frowned, glancing back at Buzz. “Did you not listen to a word the Doctor and Ariel said? We can’t die here.”

“And if we’ve got each other and the pair of them looking out for us, we won’t,” Buzz nodded. “Come on, Armstrong, live a little.”

“I have lived a little!” Neil exclaimed. “I’ve gone to the moon! Who else can say that?”

“Well, let’s see,” Buzz sighed. “Me, Michael, the Doctor, Ariel, and all the other dozens of people they’ll send out on expeditions when we succeed,” he shrugged. “Who else can say they battled some creature on the surface of the moon?” He wondered, raising an eyebrow at Neil.

Neil sighed and glanced back at where the Doctor, Ariel and Michael’s bodies were retreating. “You guys are gonna get me killed,” he mumbled.

“Well, at least you’ll die knowing you did something that half of NASA can't bragging about doing within the next year,” Buzz chuckled and the pair of them ran to join the Doctor, Ariel and Michael.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two things, if you're like incredibly dedicated to the canon of Doctor Who then I am very sorry for disrupting that and having Ariel pass out with Amy. My thoughts were, Prisoner Zero locked onto her thoughts when she showed up at Amelia's house when Amelia was just a little girl, or you could go with the idea that Amy was thinking about Ariel, Prisoner Zero noticed this and knew that both of them would scare the Doctor to death. On another note, I will be taking some stuff from Kill The Moon on this non-canon adventure, but it'll probably be just the giant spiders and some alien living on it of my own design. The moon being an egg will be mentioned but it's not gonna hatch and have a baby right after like in the episode. That was kinda weird and that's saying something considering it's Doctor Who.
> 
> If you just wanna skip right ahead to the rest of the Eleventh Hour and the Beast Below, you can do so without missing anything. This adventure was born out of the fact that the Doctor and Ariel are getting next to no alone time and that's the only purpose it serves for the plot (other than Ariel bragging about how she knows Neil Armstrong a ton of times). If you do wish to read it then I'm sure you'll love it! I wrote this a while ago with an idea I had for another OC and I'm so happy I get to finally post it.


	5. The Creature on the Moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys! It only took two months, but I managed to do it! I managed to update! I hope you like it as I'm always really anxious uploading original Doctor Who trips. Now, that I'm back in the flow of writing this story the next chapter should (hopefully) be up real soon.

“Are we really doing this?” Ariel mumbled, trudging alongside the Doctor across the Moon. “Are we really going on a mission with Louis Armstrong on the bloody moon?!”

“Oh, I don’t think of it like a mission,” the Doctor shook his head. “More like an exciting quest,” he hummed.

Ariel stared at him with a slight frown for a moment before shaking her head and glancing around them. “Regardless, I have no idea where that scream could’ve come from. Is there even supposed to be life on the Moon yet?”

“Ah, there’s an indigenous species that should be just beginning to grow in population,” the Doctor hummed.

“Well, if they were the ones that screamed then that means that something’s here that shouldn’t be,” Ariel decided.

“Agreed,” the Doctor nodded. 

“So, what are we heading into here?” Buzz asked, trudging up to the couple with a small frown. “Because if we’re gonna see more aliens-.”

“I’m just going to stop you right there,” Ariel smirked, holding up a hand. “Traveling with him almost always means aliens.”

“There are aliens on the moon?” Neil muttered.

“Technically we are aliens on the moon,” Ariel mumbled with a slight shrug. 

“But other aliens,” Neil sighed. “Non-human aliens,” he said, eyeing the Doctor warily.

“Well, of course there are other aliens on the moon,” the Doctor smiled. “Did you really think you were alone?”

“This is gonna make my head ache,” Michael sighed.

“Join the party,” Neil chuckled.

“That hardly matters now,” Ariel shook her head. “Whatever species lives on this moon they are in danger and it’s our job to help them,” she said.

The Doctor beamed at her and the three men shared wide eyed gazes before nodding and turning back to Ariel. 

“Where do we start?” Buzz smirked.

“I think I found a good starting point,” Michael said, staring off into the distance with large eyes and dilated pupils. He raised up a finger that shook even through his suit and pointed to something in the distance. “I believe that’s where the screaming came from, Doctor.”

The Doctor and Ariel followed his line of sight and stepped forward to see piles of alien bodies, covered in blood.

“Oh, my God,” Ariel breathed.

“Whatever’s here, it’s killing them,” the Doctor murmured.

“Why would it do that?” Ariel frowned, shaking her head. “What reason would it have to kill everybody?”

“I dunno, but I’m going to find out,” the Doctor said, his jaw clenched as he took a deep breath and marched forward.

Ariel glanced back at the three men and nodded before following him. Michael did the same but before Buzz could follow, Neil grabbed his arm.

“Are we really going to be following whatever left the pile of dead bodies?” He asked, his eyes wide.

“Come on, Neil,” Buzz smirked. “What’s the point in going to the moon if you can’t have a little fun.”

“Funny enough, I don’t find dying fun,” Neil sighed.

“Then don’t die,” Buzz shrugged. Before Neil could say another word, Buzz shrugged out of his grasp and ran towards the Doctor and Ariel.

Ariel and Michael knelt down beside the pile of bodies while the Doctor surveyed the area. The bodies were definitely not human. They appeared more like reptiles than another race of being with light green skin and red eyes, some baring black spots across their spine. However, the scene of the crime was much more astounding to the men than the sight of what another alien looked like. There were bodies across the surface of the moon, all massacred so that none may survive or even stand a chance at it.

This wasn’t just a creature killing people out of fear, these deaths held intent.

“Whatever did this, it meant to kill them. It’s not afraid, it’s angry,” Ariel frowned.

“If this thing isn’t from the moon like you said, then why would it come here just to kill people?” Buzz wondered.

“I’m not sure,” Ariel hummed. “Doctor, do you have anything?” She called.

“There’s something in the distance,” the Doctor mumbled, narrowing his eyes at the figure.

“Could it be whatever killed them?” Ariel asked, gesturing back to the bodies.

“No,” the Doctor shook his head. “No, this almost looks like a ship,” he murmured. 

“The ship of the creature that came here then,” Ariel nodded.

“Probably,” the Doctor sighed. “But if that’s the case then whatever killed the Kelar came here with intent because that is landed perfectly.”

“That’s what they’re called?” Michael prompted. “Kelar?”

The Doctor nodded. “Yeah, but never mind that,” he said, turning back to the men. “We need to head to that ship. If I’m right and it belongs to whatever landed here, maybe, we can find out a bit more about why they came.”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Neil frowned, marching over to the pile of bodies. “They came here to kill.”

“No, I don’t believe that,” the Doctor shook his head. “There has to be some reason behind this and if we can figure that out then we can stop it,” he nodded.

“Doctor,” Buzz frowned, marching forward and watching as a row of  large spiders, far bigger than anything they had seen on earth, left the furthest body and seemed to be marching in unison toward a certain location. “What is that?” He frowned.

The Doctor grabbed Ariel’s hand and stepped forward, narrowing his eyes at the scene. “Something we need to follow,” he said. “Come on,” he nodded to the men.

They each shared wary looks, unsure of what they could be following but nevertheless they nodded and followed him.

“It really had to be follow the spiders,” Ariel sighed. “We’re really going for Harry Potter here,” she moaned.

The Doctor snickered. “Oh, but follow the butterflies is less fun,” he said with a small shrug. 

“Follow the butterflies is less creepy!” Ariel exclaimed. 

The Doctor chuckled and shook his head. “Of all the things you have faced Ariel Parsons you choose to be freaked out by giants spiders,” he smirked.

“Well, a girl’s gotta be afraid of something,” she mumbled, shrugging bitterly.

The Doctor laughed and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “How right you are.”

“You realize we don’t actually know a thing about these people right?” Neil frowned. “They could be just leading us into a trap.”

“Why would they do that?” Michael wondered. “They seem trustworthy.”

“Yeah, seeming and being are two very different things though,” Neil sighed.

“Stop worrying yourself,” Buzz moaned. “We know enough to know that if they wanted us dead they would’ve done it when we first ran from the cameras.”

“But they didn’t,” Michael nodded.

“And instead, they showed us alien bodies that were murdered and we need to find the killer,” Buzz said.

“Why do we have to do it?” Neil frowned. “We could just let them be and go back home while they take care of it. They seem pretty well-adjusted to this sort of stuff.”

“And if they die?” Michael prompted, raising an eyebrow at Neil.

“Then they died knowing the risk,” Neil shrugged.

“We know the risk too,” Buzz nodded. “And if we die saving them that’s not so bad.”

“Why are you two bent on saving the people we just met?!” Neil exclaimed. “I don’t get it.”

“And I don’t get why you’re not just as thrilled about an adventure,” Buzz frowned. “We get to face a creature on the moon. It’s like something out of one of those science fiction books.”

“There is way more risk than reward on this adventure than a trip to the moon,” Neil said.

“No there isn’t,” Buzz said, shaking his head. “Our shuttle could’ve blown up just like all the others before it but we chose to be in it anyway and look where it got us,” he said, smiling as he extended his arms out to the moon. “Just look at it this way, we had a one in a million chance when coming here and we have a one in a million chance of defeating this thing so ignore the million and focus on the one,” he nodded.

Neil clenched his jaw and sighed deeply. “Alright, but if I get killed during this little expedition of yours, I’m coming back as a ghost to haunt you,” he warned.

Buzz snorted and shook his head. “I wouldn’t expect any less, Armstrong.”

Michael smiled as he watched Neil march towards the Doctor and Ariel and Buzz granted him a reassuring nod. They would get through this and have fantastic memories following them into their old age.

“There they are!” The Doctor exclaimed. The spiders all darted beneath a small ridge where spider webs covered the open areas and left just enough room for the bodies of the spiders to run through.

“How many of those are there?” Ariel frowned as the Doctor ran forward, skidding on the rocks as he did so.

“Hard to tell,” the Doctor sighed. “Hundreds?” He guessed.

“Are you sure it’s safe to stick your head down there?” Michael frowned. “It looked like that place was their home.”

The Doctor turned to him with the large grin he usually wore when he was about to embark on something completely reckless but didn’t care. Ariel smiled when she recognized that face from his previous one. Some things never change.

“Nope,” the Doctor shrugged, but of course, he did it anyway. 

Ariel bolted over to him and peered over his head as he knelt down and narrowed his eyes at the tiny but dark cavern the spiders lurked in.

The Doctor began to lean forward even further and as he did so, once of the large black spiders shrieked as it pounced on the Doctor and tossed him onto his back.

“Doctor!” Ariel screamed. She and the three men raced forward to try and pull the spider off the Doctor while he squirmed around on the ground trying to do the same.

Behind Ariel, the spiders all began running from their cavern at the sight of a potential attacker.

“They’re getting away!” Michael yelled, jumping away from the Doctor as he watched the spiders with wide eyes.

Ariel peered over her shoulders at the creatures all scattered about, running for their lives. “Get me a torch!” She barked at the men, still trying to tear the spider from the Doctor’s face.

“What for?” Buzz frowned. 

“Just do it!” Ariel screamed.

Without another word, Neil pulled a flashlight from his suit and tossed it to her. She caught it and passed him a grateful nod before turning to the spiders. 

“Keep trying to get it off him but don’t let it leave,” she instructed the men.

“What are you gonna do?” Michael frowned.

“I’m gonna drive the spiders back home,” she smirked. She turned on the torch and aimed it at the spiders. Most of them scattered, but some raced back into the cavern to hide. Once she turned away, the men managed to pull the spider off the Doctor and it scrambled back into the cavern.

Ariel grinned and tossed the torch back to Neil before helping the Doctor to his feet and hugging him tightly.

“What did you do?” Michael asked, glancing back at the spiders that were disappearing from view. Ariel turned to face him and the Doctor did the same, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as he did so.

“It’s like when you turn the light on in a room and watch as some bugs scatter into their hiding spaces. It was a hunch, but I was thinking if they looked like spiders then they must think like common bugs on earth,” Ariel shrugged.

“Brilliant, love,” the Doctor smiled and kissed her temple. She grinned and wrapped her arm around his waist, squeezing tightly.

“You risked them getting angry and attacking you on a hunch?” Buzz frowned.

“Traveling with the Doctor you learn to always follow your gut instinct,” Ariel nodded and the Doctor smirked. “Plus, it’s not like we had a lot of time to sit around and debate on the matter,” she said.

“Fair point,” Buzz conceded with a shrug.

“But, hold on,” Neil said, holding up a hand. “How many of those things were there and how did they get here? Because I’m getting the fact that the aliens we saw earlier just naturally evolved on here, but did some spiders do the same?”

“Good question,” the Doctor nodded. He turned back to the cavern where some of the spiders were still nestled. “Shine your light down there so we can get a better look.”

Neil nodded and did as he instructed while the Doctor grabbed Ariel’s hand and guided her down to see.

“Just for the record, I really don’t like spiders,” Ariel winced.

“Oh, come on, what are they gonna do to you?” The Doctor chuckled.

“I don’t know, maybe, attack my face like they did to you?” Ariel suggested with wide eyes.

“Fair point,” the Doctor nodded. “Maybe, we should just take another step back to be safe,” he resigned with a sigh.

Once they did so, the Doctor took the opportunity to narrow his eyes at the spiders and try to work out where they were from.

“I think they’ve been here the whole time,” the Doctor mumbled with a frown. “Evolving,” he hummed.

“What, so are they what we’ve been looking for?” Michael wondered. “Did they just kill the Kelar?”

“No,” the Doctor shook his head. “Whatever killed them landed here. They’re afraid of it.”

“The spiders are afraid of the creature?” Buzz frowned. “Well, that bodes well,” he scoffed.

“Yeah, he’s right,” Neil nodded. “Because those spiders weren’t afraid to defend their home but since there was a chance they would be attacked by whatever that creature is, they ran.”

“And notice how they were all scattered,” Ariel said. “Some of them crawled back inside here while some left.”

“These creatures have evolved to act in unison with each other. It’s a sort of pack mentality but in these spiders. The lone wolf dies but the pack survives. We saw that when they marched from the bodies of the Kelar in a single straight line. They have unified thinking.”

“What, like the hive mind in the Ood?” Ariel asked with a small frown. 

“No, nothing that elaborate,” the Doctor shook his head. “Right now this is purely evolution keeping them together. They know there’s strength in numbers.”

“So, how come only one attacked you and the others left?” Buzz wondered.

“I believe that must be how the creature's changed them. They must have been attacked by it as well and if that’s the case then whatever it is, they only found safety in running,” the Doctor sighed.

“I’m feeling much better about this with each passing minute,” Michael said sarcastically.

“But that’s not what we need to concern ourselves with,” the Doctor said, shaking his head to dismiss the manner.

“Oh, really?” Neil prompted, raising an eyebrow. “Because I’m a bit concerned.”

“No, it’s the fact that some of them stayed behind. There are more spiders in there than the ones that Ariel chased inside which means they’re here to defend something.”

“What could a bunch of spiders on the moon defend?” Buzz wondered with a small frown.

“That’s what we have to figure out,” the Doctor hummed. He marched away from the cavern and the men exchanged curious frowns, but followed. The Doctor grabbed Ariel’s hand and squeezed tightly.

“Still afraid?” The Doctor prompted.

“Not a chance,” Ariel smiled.

“Good,” the Doctor grinned.

The walked up to a small cliff that lead to a massive drop and the Doctor peered down as the men all walked up to stand in a row and do the same.

“What is it?” Neil breathed.

Ariel knelt down and narrowed her eyes at the drop, there was some sort of shimmering, moving liquid at the bottom of it.

“Doctor,” Ariel breathed. “There’s something down there,” she murmured. “Some sort of liquid.”

“Water?” Buzz proposed with a raised eyebrow.

“No,” Michael breathed. “There’s no water on the moon,” he shook his head.

“He’s right,” the Doctor nodded. “So, what’s down there?” He wondered.

“We need a way to get to it,” Neil said.

The five of the all peered around the moon’s surface for a way to get to it when their eyes all fell on the same location. Right beside the alien ship that had landed, there was a ledge that hovered just over the fluid and would give them a chance to get a better look at it.

“Oh, hell no!” Michael exclaimed, turning away with wide eyes. “If that thing can terrify the spiders that evolved here and create that kinda bloodbath with the Kelar I am not going near its home.”

“There may be a chance it’s not even there,” Ariel shrugged, trying to downgrade the serious threat going to the ship posed.

“And there’s a chance it is,” Michael nodded. “There is no way in hell you are getting me to go near that ship.”

~~~

Twenty minutes later, Michael marched behind Neil and Buzz who followed Ariel and the Doctor on the way to the ship.

There was a rope tying his wrists together and keeping him on a makeshift leash which Buzz held with great pleasure. It was rude, but it was the only way to stop him yelling that the creature would kill them the second they got within ten feet of its house. Plus, it allow Ariel a nice giggle every time she looked back and saw him glaring at Buzz and Neil.

“Alright,” the Doctor sighed, spinning around and stopping the party in its tracks. “Ariel and I will check the fluid and see what it is. If we need more information we’ll head to the ship after, but until we figure that out, we’re going to need you three to keep an eye out and make sure nothing is coming. You know what the Kelar look like so you know what this thing isn’t.”

“Why do we have to be on lookout?!” Michael exclaimed. “I can test the fluid, I-!”

Before he could finish, Buzz tugged roughly on the rope and silenced him.

“We’re gonna do what the Doctor says, alright?” Buzz said, narrowing his eyes at Michael like an angry father. “If you don’t like it, go back in the ship and go home,” he sighed.

“Gladly,” Michael smirked, spinning around only to have the rope pulled again by Buzz.

“We’re not going home, Michael,” Neil moaned. “Not yet,” he said. “We’re in the middle of this now. We have to see it through.”

“Glad to see you’ve decided to help us, Neil,” the Doctor smiled.

“Yeah, well, I can’t exactly go back home knowing I left an alien race to die now can I?” Neil smirked, shrugging slightly as she spoke. 

Ariel grinned at him and glanced at the other two men. “Are we clear on the plan?”

“Clear as can be, princess,” Buzz smirked and Ariel could’ve sworn she felt the Doctor’s grip on her hand tighten.

Ariel just shook her head and giggled. She loved when he got jealous. She squeezed his hand once to reassure him and he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before he addressed the men once again. 

“Alright, you lot keep your eyes on that ship and if anything moves, let us know,” he instructed and the men nodded.

The Doctor turned to Ariel and gestured for her to move forward toward the edge that lead down into a dark cavern containing the fluid.

“This way ma’am,” the Doctor smiled.

“Why thank you, Ser Doctor,” Ariel grinned and did a small curtsey for him.

The Doctor chuckled and followed her as she walked over to the very edge and peered down. He did the same and frowned.

“It looks,” she mumbled. “It looks thicker than water but it’s still clear,” she remarked.

The Doctor narrowed his eyes at the substance. “Hold my legs,” he said.

“Wait, what?” Ariel frowned. 

The Doctor laid down on his stomach and started scooting off the edge. 

“Oh!” Ariel exclaimed, drawing the attention of the men momentarily.

“What’s he doing?” Neil mumbled.

“Hell, if I know,” Buzz sighed and shrugged. “Just leave it.”

“I intend to,” Neil chuckled.

Meanwhile, Ariel held the Doctor’s feet as she lowered him into the cavern slowly.

“And you’re sure this is a good idea?!” Ariel exclaimed.

“Nope!” The Doctor beamed.

Ariel giggled and shook her head. “Ah, you haven’t changed a bit have you?”

“You love it,” the Doctor smiled before he was just inches away from the fluid. “Stop!” He cried and she stopped moving him immediately.

The Doctor dipped his finger into the liquid and sniffed it before taking a small taste. He frowned. It was odd to say the least.

“Alright, Ariel, bring me back up!” He called.

“Got it!” Ariel yelled. She slowly pulled his legs back up until he was laying on his stomach on the ground once again with the fluid still dripping from his fingers.

Ariel dropped down by his side with a sigh. “What is it?” She wondered, her tone breathy and curious as she stared at the fluid.

“Amniotic fluid,” the Doctor mumbled.

Ariel frowned. “But that’s-,” she began.

“The fluid surrounding a fetus,” the Doctor nodded. “The stuff that life comes from.”

“Have you found anything?!” Neil called.

“Oh, we found a whole lot of something,” Ariel murmured, nodding furiously. “What do we do?”

“Concerning the moon? Nothing. If this moon really is an egg then it deserves to hatch in due time. Right now we need to concern ourselves with the creature killing those living peacefully on the moon,” the Doctor said.

Ariel nodded, sighing softly as she looked down at the ground. All of a sudden, a thought popped in her head. If this creature was killing everything it laid eyes on, maybe it wasn’t doing it out of anger. If the moon really was an egg maybe this creature was trying to protect it but didn’t understand what was a threat and what was friendly. 

“But, Doctor, what if that’s it?” Ariel proposed with wide eyes. “What if the thing that’s doing all the killing isn’t really trying to kill at all? What if it’s protecting the baby?”

The Doctor’s eyes grew large and he jumped up to his feet, extending his hand to Ariel to help her up. “If you’re right then we need to talk to this thing now. Stop all the killing before it commits genocide.”

“Right,” Ariel nodded.

“It’s here!” Neil called. “It’s coming! Hell, is that thing massive,” he breathed.

The Doctor and Ariel ran forward to see a seven foot tall creature that looked like a lion and tiger entwined to make some sort of humanoid alien walking on two legs. It had razor sharp teeth and fierce eyes and it snarled at the sight of them. 

“We need to get the hell out of here!” Buzz yelled, tightening his grip on Michael’s rope and getting ready to run.

“Wait!” The Doctor cried, raising his hands as though he were surrendering. “Just wait!”

“Is he nuts?!” Neil exclaimed. “That thing’ll kill us all in seconds.”

“No,” Ariel shook his head. “He’s not crazy. He’s trying to stop another genocide.”

“Another?” Buzz frowned. “What was the first?

Ariel turned to him with poison dripping from his eyes making Buzz actually take a step back at the sight. “Don’t ask,” she mumbled, shaking her head firmly.

All Buzz could do was nod.

“Listen to me, listen!” The Doctor barked at the creature. “I know you can understand me so even if you don’t speak, just listen. These people are not here to harm it. They don’t even know it’s here. You are killing innocents. They won’t pose any threat to you or the baby.”

The creature tilted its head curiously but did not respond.

“Baby?” Neil frowned. “What’s he talking about?”

“It’s nothing,” Ariel shook her head before marching up to the Doctor’s side, the creature grunted in her presence angrily unsure if she was a threat or an ordinary individual and the Doctor extended his arm out to shield her.

“We don’t want to hurt you,” the Doctor said, his tone calm and level as he spoke. “But something tells me whoever sent you here didn’t stop to think that live had evolved. The people that have evolved on this moon are harmless. I swear to you.”

“How can you know this?” The creature grumbled.

“Because I know them,” the Doctor nodded.

“If they knew about the baby I’m sure they’d be more than willing to defend it with you,” Ariel promised.

“And maybe they can teach you the difference between those who are innocent and those who would harm the child,” the Doctor nodded.

The creature bowed his head. “They fear me.”

“They don’t have to,” the Doctor shook his head. “We can negotiate with them. We can stop the killing.”

The creature watched each of them warily, seeming to be internally battling whether or not he should kill them, run, or go along with what they said.

“Why?” He wondered.

“Because we’ve taken lives before,” the Doctor nodded. “And nothing should carry the weight of killing an innocent.”

Ariel closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to wash the images from her mind that had stirred upon the Doctor’s words. She glanced up at his face and spotted him wincing, obviously fighting the same thing.

“You think you can negotiate with them?” The creature prompted. 

“I know I can,” the Doctor nodded.

“Then I will allow you, but if you fail I will kill them all,” the creature promised.

“I don’t doubt it,” the Doctor murmured.

“Go, now,” the creature breathed. “Go.”

The Doctor nodded and turned back to the trio. “Come on, I know where the Kelar base camp is.”

“What just happened?” Buzz wondered, shaking his head aimlessly.

“Did you just manage to negotiate with that thing?” Michael frowned, nodding to the alien who snarled at him.

“Yes, and it won’t stand very long if we stay here so come on!” The Doctor snapped.

The three men jumped into action and marched forward after the Doctor and Ariel. 

“But how did you do it, Doctor?” Neil wondered, his tone breathy as he glanced back at the creature in concern as though it would let them leave just to attack them from behind. “How did you stop it from killing us?”

“By making a promise. A promise that no harm would come to the thing it dedicated its life to protect,” the Doctor mumbled, glancing down at Ariel as he spoke.

The brunette beamed up at him and he just smiled. He would give anything to keep her safe.

“What is it?” Buzz asked. “What is it protecting? You mentioned something about a baby,” he remembered.

The Doctor opened his mouth as though he were going to try and explain to the three men that the moon was an egg, but he shook his head and turned away. Now wasn’t the moment, he just had to focus on what he would say to the Kelar when trying to make the creature that had been killing their race sound favorable. 

“Quick question,” Ariel sighed, falling into step beside the Doctor and grabbing his hand. “How are we gonna explain this to the Kelar without them thinking we’re leading them into a mass genocide?” She wondered.

“That’s the tricky bit,” the Doctor nodded. “Tricky-dicky, but I think I’ve got something.”

“Care to enlighten the rest of the class?” Ariel smirked, raising a curious eyebrow.

The Doctor glanced at her with a soft smile. He knew he could trust her with anything. Ever since he started running he had always loathed when he got into a position where there were nothing but bad choices and yet he still had to choose, but when she started traveling with him she saw and accepted those bad choices and never pinned the blame on him. She knew from experience the pain of having to choose when there was nothing good left and she had seen the Doctor having to face those decisions himself, but she knew better than most that it wasn’t his fault. It was just the way the universe worked. 

Sometimes the universe could grant you life and beauty beyond compare but other times it was just death and destruction. The Doctor was just grateful that no matter how bad it got, with Ariel by his side, he never had to do it alone. He took a deep breath and squeezed her hand making her grin at him and raise an eyebrow.

“What is it?” Ariel prompted.

“This can only end one of two ways, them agreeing to the terms or them killing him,” he mumbled.

“Wha-how would they kill him?” Ariel wondered, her eyes large at the very prospect.

“The Kelar are grieving and we’re about to walk in and ask them to trust the man that caused those deaths,” the Doctor sighed. “You know from experience this only ends in hatred or peace.”

Ariel winced and bowed her head. “But wouldn’t that just end in a massacre? Whatever planet created that creature they didn’t do it with the intent of him being easily defeated.”

“And a whole army raising up against him was probably not taken into consideration when he was being created,” the Doctor nodded. “I doubt the person that manufactured that creature even knew there was life on the moon other than the baby.”

“Hold on,” Michael said, marching up beside the couple. “You’re talking like that thing was man made.”

“Well, it was,” the Doctor nodded. “Sort of, at least,” he shrugged.

“What is he talking about?” Michael asked Ariel. “Is he saying humans made that creature?”

“No,” Ariel shook her head. “The creature is protecting an unborn baby and that baby has to come from somewhere. My guess is, the race that baby belongs to devised a creature to keep it safe until it was born.”

“Didn’t you notice, Michael?” The Doctor hummed. “It looked like a perfect combination of lion and tiger standing on two feet. Someone created it to defend their child. He’s nothing more than a foot soldier.”

“Then there’s something controlling it?” Michael frowned. “Shouldn’t we be going after them?”

“Oh, Michael, whoever they are they’re just protecting their child,” Ariel sighed. “It’s not worth it to attack someone for ensuring their kid is safe. If we did that we’d have to attack countless humans for starters.”

“But it’s killed people!” Michael insisted.

“It’s scared and had no idea the difference between an innocent resident and an attacker. It’s our job to tell the Kelar that,” the Doctor said.

“How do we know they’re gonna believe us?” Michael wondered.

“Because the other option isn’t very pretty,” Ariel sighed.

They reached what looked like a large cave covered with a large stone undoubtedly found by the Kelar on the moon.

On either side of the stone stood two soldiers bearing the same appearance as the dead Kelar they saw when they first got there.

They stood at arms in the presence of the five outside their walls.

“Blimey,” Neil hummed. “Living aliens,” he mumbled.

“I know right,” Buzz nodded. “Now do you wish you had left when we heard that first scream?” He smirked.

“Not a chance,” Neil grinned.

“Oi, what’s the big deal?” The Doctor frowned, pouting slightly at the fact that the men were making a bigger deal out of the Kelar than him. “I’m an alien,” he nodded.

“Love, I think they’re just excited to see living aliens that look nothing like them. You look like you could pass as human,” Ariel smiled and nodded.

The Doctor rolled his eyes, still pouting like an upset child. “Fine. If they prefer the grumpy ones,” he murmured and Ariel barked out a laugh.

“Don’t be too put off. I still love you,” Ariel grinned, taking his hand and squeezing tightly.

The Doctor beamed at her and nodded, squeezing her hand once in return. He took a deep breath and turned to the soldiers.

“I beg audience with Commander Canyon in accordance with Convention 15 of the Shadow Proclamation,” the Doctor said formally.

“Parlay?” One of the soldiers chuckled while the other just shook his head and laughed. “We have no feud with you, Doctor.”

“You remember me?” The Doctor frowned.

“The man who could change his face upon will and always traveled with a pitiful human on his arm,” the man sneered. “How could we forget?” He hummed.

“Well, then you will remember that I won’t stop until I stop this killing,” the Doctor hissed.

“There is not stop to the killing,” the soldier snapped, slamming his foot down and sneering at the Doctor. “If you wish to stop the murders then you will kill whatever thing that have sent down upon our home.”

“You know that’s not how I work,” the Doctor hummed.

“Ah, yes, the Doctor born from bloodshed refuses to get his hands dirty but shames those who deal with things the only way they can,” the soldier said.

“Stop!” Ariel snapped, stepping in front of the Doctor as he stared down at the ground in shame. “You don’t know the full story.”

“Do enlighten us,  _ human _ ,” the soldier sneered.

“That creature didn’t know your lot were here. It’s killing because it’s protecting something that is far more precious than you can imagine. It doesn’t know the difference between those who are innocent and those who just want to attack it.”

“I’m going to need a lot more than that if I’m going to let you see my commander.”

“Just tell him I’m here,” the Doctor nodded, stepping forward. “Tell him I’m here and let him decide what to do next,” he said.

The soldier passed one wary glance over the man but took a deep breath and nodded, turning to head inside the cave his people presumably inhabited. 

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Ariel asked, turning to the Doctor with a slight frown. “What if he decides to kill you, we don’t have any way of stopping him.”

“Exactly, they have weapons and I don’t,” the Doctor smiled. “Which makes me the better person, don’t you think? They can kill me but the moral high ground is mine.”

“Is he mad or is he just always like this?” Neil frowned.

“Both, actually,” Ariel sighed. “But are you sure you want to take this risk just to get to speak to the commander.”

“If it stops his forces from closing in on that creature, then yes,” the Doctor nodded. “We don’t kill,” he reminded her.

“I know,” Ariel winced. “I shouldn’t have even brought it up.”

“Then why did you?” The Doctor wondered, stepping closer to her and placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. 

“I think,” Ariel took a shuddering breath and closed her eyes. The Doctor, seeing that she was having trouble coming to terms with what she must admit to him, pulled her into a hug and rubbed her back in the smallest form of comfort.

“What is it?” The Doctor breathed.

Ariel took a deep breath and glanced up at the Doctor with watery eyes. “I think ever since the Master had me kill Naismith something’s been changing,” she admitted. “I don’t know what but I-,” she sighed. “Doctor, I’m scared,” she said, tears beginning to fall down her cheeks as she confessed what she had been wary of the moment she put a bullet in Naismith’s head.

The Doctor’s eyes widened and he pulled her into another hug, this time much tighter than before.

“It’ll be alright,” the Doctor mumbled. “I promise,” he nodded. “We’ll figure out what to do.”

Ariel sobbed quietly into his chest and he clung to her tightly. Even after the Master was gone he still won. He still tore down whatever barrier Ariel held up in her mind between absolutely no killing and the ability to take a life. The Doctor closed his eyes and clenched his jaw, silently swearing that he would help the girl in his arms no matter the cost.

“What’s wrong?” Buzz frowned, taking a tentative step forward toward the Doctor and Ariel.

The Doctor took a deep breath and turned to look at him, still keeping his arms around Ariel as she cried. 

“There was a man, not too long ago, that forced her to kill somebody. It’s still affecting her right now,” the Doctor explained as simply as he could.

“Well, he should be arrested,” Michael nodded, casting his eyes down at the sobbing Ariel and frowning. She was just a young girl. An innocent and kind girl who didn’t deserve to feel the weight of someone’s blood on her hands.

“It’s not that simple,” the Doctor shook his head.

“What do you mean it’s not that simple?” Neil frowned. “Look at her, Doctor. She’s a mess. Whoever did this to her should be in prison.”

“They’re right,” Buzz nodded. “He should be arrested for forcing her to take a life. That blood is technically on his hands not hers.”

“No, it’s not that simple because he’s gone,” the Doctor snapped. “He’s gone and there’s nothing we can do about it,” he sighed. No matter the pain the Master had caused, the Doctor still considered him a friend and he didn’t want to face the fact that his friend was now dead forever.

“What do you mean ‘gone’?” Michael asked, but before the Doctor could answer, the stone shielding the cave rolled away once again and a group of people marched out.

Ariel jumped out of the Doctor’s arms and turned to face them, wiping away her few stray tears as the Doctor grabbed her hand and gave her a warm smile. She let out a soft sigh and grabbed his hand, needing his physical reassurance in that moment which he was more than happy to give. 

A bunch of armed forces stepped out and to the side and a man that was much taller but seemingly much older than all of them stepped out and stepped right in front of the Doctor and Ariel.

“Is that him?” Neil asked. “Is that their commander?” 

“Yes,” Ariel breathed, nodded at the man. “He has to be.”

The commander analyzed the Doctor’s face as though trying to uncover what secrets it was hiding before smiling and granting him a single nod.

“You changed your face again. You are young,” Commander Canyon remarked.

“And you’re old, my friend,” the Doctor smiled.

“No older than you,” Canyon chuckled. “My soldiers tell me you’ve arrived under Convention 15. Tell me, what need do you have to stop my people from murdering one creature that has killed hundreds of us?”

“He didn’t know what he was doing,” Ariel said.

“She’s right,” the Doctor nodded. “We have reason to believe that the creature was sent here to protect something very precious.”

“And that would be?” Canyon prompted.

“A baby,” Ariel said.

Commander Canyon frowned. “The only babies here are the children of my people and they are being slaughtered.”

“No, this is not one of your children. This baby has been here far before any of you started living here,” the Doctor said.

“The baby is inside the moon,” Ariel hummed and the eyes of the three men behind them went large.

“What?!” Commander Canyon exclaimed.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Michael scoffed.

“How can a baby be inside the moon?” Buzz frowned.

“The moon is an egg and it was laid here millions of years ago for a child to grow inside of it. A child placed here to grow along with the earth and to hatch when it can fly away on its own.”

“Don’t talk nonsense to me, Doctor,” Canyon sneered.

“It isn’t nonsense,” Ariel shook her head. “Your moon has amniotic fluid coming from it. That fluid is found on earth when babies are growing before they are born.”

“So are you saying this comes from the earth?” Canyon frowned.

“No, we’re saying it has the same fluid found around every baby growing before birth and that this creature you are facing wants to defend the child,” the Doctor said.

“Why has it not shown up sooner if it is destined to protect this baby you claim is growing beneath the feet of my people?” He wondered.

The Doctor and Ariel shared a look.

“We can only guess that it’s because the parents of this child have spent a lifetime trying to create the perfect creature to defend their baby,” Ariel shrugged.

“You guess?” Canyon hissed. “I am basing the lives of my people on a guess?”

“It will not attack if it knows you’re not here to harm it,” the Doctor assured him. “I swear to you.”

“And how am I to know this is not just another guess?” Canyon wondered.

“Because we were all there,” Ariel said, nodding to the three men behind her, staring gobsmacked at the aliens. “You lot, tell them how the creature didn’t attack us when we reasoned with it,” she said.

“It’s true,” Buzz nodded.

“Yeah,” Neil said. “It just let us go.”

“It didn’t even try to follow us,” Michael shrugged.

“See?” The Doctor prompted. “You don’t have to hurt it.”

Commander Canyon turned back to the Doctor with narrowed eyes. “Am I to trust the word of a few lowly humans?”

“Oi, we’re not lowly!” Ariel snapped.

“Damn, that’s just rude,” Neil mumbled.

“Then, trust my word Canyon. Trust our experience together and please do not kill this creature,” the Doctor begged.

“I’m sorry, Doctor, but it is already done. My soldiers are marching out to put a stop to the deaths as we speak,” Canyon sighed.

“Then why did you come to talk to us?!” Ariel exclaimed.

“To see an old friend,” Canyon said, nodding to the Doctor with a sympathetic smile. “And to see if my people were wrong and I could truly trust in the word of a Time Lord once again,” he sighed. “It seems they were right,” he mumbled. He turned to the soldiers awaiting his command. “Open the door.”

They nodded and began pushing the stone out of his path.

“I am truly sorry, Doctor. I wish there was more that could be done,” Canyon said.

“There is, Commander, you just have to listen to me and call back your troops,” the Doctor begged.

“And tell them what?” Canyon frowned. “That they should retreat and trust the creature that has killed hundreds of them based on guesses and some fluid found by a man that started a war between us and the Ice Warriors?”

“Commander,” the Doctor sighed.

“No, Doctor,” Canyon shook his head. “It is done. You have worn many losses through many faces. You must accept this as just another one.” 

And with that, he turned away and marched back into the cave.

The Doctor squeezed his eyes shut and fought hard not to show any signs of pain at his loss. He was sick of losing. He was hoping that things would change with this new face but it seemed everything was just staying the same.

“Doctor,” Ariel breathed, turning to him with sad, pitying eyes.

“No,” the Doctor mumboled, turning away. “I should have never intervened.”

“So, that’s just it?” Buzz frowned. “We’re giving up?”

“We don’t have another choice,” the Doctor said bitterly.

“Wait, yes we do,” Michael nodded, unsure of why the others were unable to see it.

“What are you talking about?” Ariel asked, shaking her head aimlessly at the man.

“Well, isn’t it obvious?” Michael smirked. “The ship,” he reminded them with a nod. “We may not be able to stop them from killing him but we can send him away. His ship didn’t seem damaged so he could just go,” he shrugged.

“He’ll never agree to that,” the Doctor said. “He was created to defend this moon. If we ask him to leave he won’t understand the concept.”

“Then we can take him back to his ship,” Neil nodded. “We take him back and you set the coordinates so he can get away. I doubt he knows how to fly the thing anyway if he was created just to protect the moon. He was probably sent here.”

The Doctor narrowed his eyes at the men with a small frown. “That could work,” he mumbled.

“So there’s hope?” Ariel prompted with a small smile.

“There’s hope,” the Doctor nodded, beaming at her.

“Well, then what are we waiting for?!” Ariel exclaimed. “Let’s go!”

The men laughed as she bolted towards where they had last seen the creature before following along. The Doctor caught up to her and grabbed her hand as they ran, hoping to get there before the Kelar.

They spotted the creature laying down in the distance with no Kelar in sight and the Doctor and Ariel exchanged a grin before running faster to it. They had to make sure to get there before the Kelar started running up to the creature while it was vulnerable.

“Wake up!” Ariel screamed, skidding down the rocks of the moon. “You have to wake up!” She yelled.

The creature lifted its head and frowned at the sight of the five he had saved earlier running to him. His frown quickly fell into a sneer as he realized what it meant.

“You did not succeed,” he said, standing up to face the Doctor.

“We tried to talk him out of it but he sent armies to kill you before we had even gotten to him,” Ariel sighed.

“Armies?” The creature frowned.

“Far more than you could handle,” Neil nodded.

“You have no idea what I can handle!” The creature spat. 

“Can you handle thousands of people with weapons and the sole intent to kill you?” The Doctor prompted.

The creature faltered and the Doctor nodded. “Exactly,” he sighed. “We have to get you out of here.”

“There is nowhere I can go. You should leave me for dead.”

“Not an option,” Michael said, shaking his head. “We have a better plan. Do you remember the ship you came here in?”

“Yes.”

“We’re sending you home in it,” the Doctor smiled.

“I don’t have a home.”

Ariel glanced at the Doctor with wide eyes, unsure of what their next move would be and he just stood frozen staring at the creature.

“You can come to Earth,” Michael said and the couple turned to him with large eyes.

“What?” They both gasped.

“There are barren untouched lands across the planet,” Michael shrugged. “If we can get him into one of those he won’t have to worry about being caught.”

“And what happens if he encounters people?” The Doctor wondered. “This is a big if, Michael.”

“He’s right,” Buzz nodded. “How would we even get him through? There’ll be a swarm once we land.”

“We can work with that,” Neil frowned. “They’ll have to leave eventually and we can take him out and get him to the desert.”

“No,” the Doctor shook his head. “This is too big of a risk.”

“Doctor, I don’t think we have another choice,” Ariel said. “Earth is the only place he can stay safe. Mars is dead and the moon is trying to kill him.”

“I said them taking him was too big of a risk I didn’t say he couldn’t go to Earth,” the Doctor said with a smirk.

Ariel’s eyes widened as she realized what he was thinking. “We can take him,” she breathed.

“Are you sure?” Michael frowned. “Your ship is small, it-.”

“It’s a lot bigger than you think,” the Doctor chuckled. “Trust me, we can save him,” the Doctor nodded.

“You risk so much,” the creature remarked. “To save me. Why?”

“I’m not going to let anyone die because of me,” the Doctor said simply.

“Does it make you feel better?” The creature wondered. “To save rather than kill?”

The Doctor took a deep breath and looked down. “Sometimes,” he nodded. “And sometimes it just hurts.”

“Then, sir Doctor, you leave me and allow me to pay for what I’ve done.”

“No,” the Doctor shook his head. “I can’t.”

“You must. If I spend the rest of my days on Earth hiding I will never get justice for the innocent lives that were killed. I deserve to pay for what I did.”

“Are you sure?” Ariel frowned. 

“We’re not doing this, he deserves to live,” the Doctor insisted.

“Doctor, I cannot save lives like you. I must find a way to pay for what I’ve done,” he said.

“Doctor, if it’s what he wants we can’t do anything,” Ariel shrugged.

“No, no, it’s not fair!” The Doctor yelled. “Just this once, just this one time I want to get it right!”

“Doctor-,” Ariel tried.

“No, no, because this is not the end! This can’t be!” He insisted.

“You are a good man, Doctor,” the creature said. “I am not. Let me die knowing there will be no more death.”

“Doctor,” Ariel muttered. “Doctor, look at me!” She barked, placing her hands on either side of his helmet and turning her to him. “If he wants to die this way that is his choice. He was created to murder people who step on the moon. He deserves to be able to make this choice.”

“It’s not fair,” the Doctor mumbled, shaking his head.

“Nothing about this is fair,” Ariel nodded. “But if we’re going to honor his last wish we have to get going.”

The Doctor took a deep breath and nodded, closing his eyes momentarily to let that sink in. “Right,” the Doctor murmured.

“Come on, you lot, we have to get going,” Ariel nodded. She grabbed the Doctor’s hand and as the three men started marching away she cast a glance over her shoulder to the creature.

“Thank you,” the creature said.

“You’re welcome,” Ariel smiled.

They all headed away and heard the shouts of the Kelar army closing in. There was a last deafening roar of pain as the creature died and they all turned with large eyes to listen as it eventually died down and the armies retreated.

Ariel closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She didn’t want to listen as the creature died but listening to its pleas she couldn’t help but think of her father. All he wanted was to die before he could feel like a coward in front of his family. The creature didn’t want to spend the rest of its days feeling like a coward and hiding away. It wanted justice and justice was what it got.

The Doctor gulped harshly and looked away as they marched back to Apollo 11 to say goodbye to the men.

“Well, Doctor, Ariel, it has been one hell of a ride,” Buzz smirked. He shook hands with each of them and gave them one final passing nod before heading back inside.

“Doctor, I know you wanted to save him,” Neil nodded. “We all did, but he died an honorable death. On his own terms.”

The Doctor gave a faint ghost of a smile. “We did do something for him. We gave him the right to choose. For now, that’s enough.”

“Exactly,” Neil smiled. “And Ariel, you’re incredible, you are, and all of this is-.”

“Wonderful,” Ariel finished with a slight giggle and a nod. “That’s the only word I can use to describe it. Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of our desire to understand,” she quoted, forgetting for the moment that she was quoting Neil Armstrong to Neil Armstrong.

She turned to the Doctor with wide eyes and he seemed to be wearing a highly amused grin at the very sight of it.

“That’s very good,” Neil frowned. “Mind if I use that? After all I am technically stealing your title as first human on the Earth,” he chuckled.

“It’s all yours,” Ariel giggled.

“Thanks,” Neil smiled. “Goodbye, Doctor. Goodbye, Ariel,” he said, waving as he reentered Apollo 11.

“Goodbye, Neil Armstrong,” the Doctor smirked.

“We didn’t get to save him,” Michael sighed. “But we gave him something better. If he would’ve come with us to the Sahara he would have spent his life cowering and hiding and needing to act like an actual animal everytime humans came by that he might actually have wound up reverting back to one. This is better,” he nodded.

“I just wish we could’ve given him a better alternative,” the Doctor sighed.

“Me too,” Michael mumbled. “But regardless of the turn out, it was a ride, Doctor and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

“Glad you had fun,” the Doctor smiled.

Michael nodded, a large grin painted across his lips before he turned to Ariel. “And you, there were moments when I doubted you but you turned out to be just as incredible as the Doctor. You’re lucky to be together,” he said and Ariel beamed up at him.

“And we were lucky to have you. You’re the reason he got a choice rather than being slaughtered without warning,” Ariel smiled. 

“If only we could’ve given him more options,” Michael hummed, nodding along.

“We did the best we could and sometimes, your best is all you can do,” Ariel shrugged. “There’s no shame in that.”

“You’re right,” Michael nodded. “It was amazing meeting you. The both of you,” he said, nodding to the Doctor. 

“You too,” Ariel smiled. She pulled Michael into a quick hug and when he pulled away, the couple waved as he went inside Apollo 11 and in a few moments, it took off, leaving the moon and returning home.

“So,” Ariel smirked. “The first moon landing lasted two minutes did it?” She prompted, grinning as she raised a knowing eyebrow at the Doctor.

“Oh, I knew that would come back to haunt me!” The Doctor laughed and she giggled as he took a deep breath and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. They started heading back to where the Doctor had parked the Tardis.

“Okay,” the Doctor sighed. “Maybe a little longer than two minutes,” he conceded.

“Just a bit, yeah,” Ariel laughed.

“But never mind that, the adventure isn’t over!” The Doctor exclaimed.

“What do you mean?” Ariel frowned.

“We have to go pick up Pond,” the Doctor reminded her with wide eyes. “We can’t leave her in that pitiful town.”

“You’re not wrong,” Ariel sighed. “That town is smaller than the one I grew up in and that’s saying something.”

“Exactly!” The Doctor exclaimed. “I’m thinking we’ll pick her up the night after so I don’t get the timelines all mixed up.”

“Yeah, don’t need to get something like this again,” Ariel sighed as they approached the Tardis. 

The Doctor unlocked it and they both stepped inside, more than happy to take off their helmets and breathe in the air.

“Oh, come on,” the Doctor moaned. “You had fun.”

“Of course, I had fun,” Ariel giggled. “Every place I go with you is fun,” she shrugged.

The Doctor smiled and blushed bright pink. “You mean that?”

“‘Course I do,” Ariel beamed, walking over and wrapping her arms around his waist. “Why do you think I stay around?”

“Figured it was the sights if I’m honest,” the Doctor shrugged nonchalantly, wrapping his arms around Ariel as well.

“Well actually,”Ariel hesitated, frowning as she thought.

“Oi!” The Doctor exclaimed, smacking her playfully on the arm.

“Kidding,” Ariel giggled. “‘Course it’s you,” she shrugged. 

She looked up to trace her stormy grey eyes across his beautifully soft lips and she realized with a start that she had not kissed those lips before. Ever since the Doctor regenerated, they’ve been thrust into situations without a real second to stop and think.

He had not kissed her yet. 

Hyper aware of every breath, her body kicked into overdrive as she found his green eyes dancing across her lips as well.

Before she could even begin to think, his lips brushed sensually over hers and she melted. His lips were soft, and warm, and gentle upon hers, pressing lightly and making butterflies race across her stomach. Subconsciously, she reached for him as she had always done with his last face and draped her arms over his shoulders, toying with the small tufts of hair on his neck. 

She could’ve sworn she felt his lips quirk up into a smile as she threw herself into the kiss and when his tongue darted out to trace her lips, she opened to him eagerly. Her heart hammered out an uneven beat in her chest which she was sure he could hear, but if he minded, he didn’t let it show.

Somehow, this felt more valuable than their first kiss. When she first pressed his lips against her own that emotion was born out of fear and desperation. When she kissed him this time, all she could think was that this was his last face and he had chosen it for her. To be with her. 

If she hadn’t fallen in love with the man he regenerated into yet, that gentle reminder was enough to make her fall hard and fast.

She wanted to groan and yank him back towards her when all too soon she felt him pulling away, breathing heavily. She didn’t want it to be over. She didn’t want to sacrifice that little bit of eternity he had just granted her with the taste of his lips.

However, as he pressed his forehead against her own and closed his eyes he reminded her of the one reason why they needed to break away.

“Amelia,” the Doctor breathed. 

Ariel squeezed her eyes shut and nodded. Amelia. They had to go back for Amelia. She had to break away from the man she loved because she promised she would be okay with Amy becoming a new companion.

Part of her wanted to take it back, but she knew that wasn’t an option. Amy Pond was a good person and would be a wonderful companion to the Doctor and even possibly a good friend to her. She couldn’t deprive either of them of that just because she wanted to selfishly be alone with the Doctor.

So, with a sigh, she marched up to the console by the Doctor’s side and watched as he started up the time rotors and took them back to Leadworth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who did not wish to read this chapter and want to continue with canon, the next chapter will be the Doctor returning to Amy's at the very end of the Eleventh Hour and all you missed in this one was Ariel mentioning that the Master is still affecting her, a creature dying and the Doctor (as usual) blaming himself, and their first kiss with his new face which is just above this note if you still wanna catch that.


	6. Amy and the Tardis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For starters, before any of you get your pitchforks. I love Amy. She was the first companion I actually started watching (before going back and watching everything else of course). I also love her with Rory. I think they are great together and I'm so happy their story ended with them being together. However, for reasons of this plot and story as it currently stands there will be small doses of Amy bashing as well as Amy/Rory bashing. This is just so I can write through Amy finding her place in the trio. 
> 
> For those of you have watched through all of Amy's episodes, you know that she kisses the Doctor fairly soon. This will be included in the story as it is canon and I have not left any canon elements out in these stories to date. However, I will need to lead up to this. I'm only warning you all before the chapter because I don't want you to read the chapter spot the moments where Ariel is jealous of Amy and come at me with knives. She is fiercely protective of the Doctor as he is for her and they hate seeing each other with other people. That's just their relationship.
> 
> Also, I'm writing really long chapters to make up for the two months I was gone so here. Happy Birthday.

The Tardis materialized in the garden and the Doctor stepped out, extending his hand to Ariel so that she may do the same.

She had changed while they were in flight and wore her hair in pigtails as well as donning a comfortable pair of palazzo trousers after the adventures had worn her out and happily licking a cone of ice cream.

That’s another thing she loved about traveling with the Doctor. He was more than happy to nourish her with nothing but ice cream and sweets if she felt so inclined.

They waited and watched as the front door to the house swung open and Amy ran out in her nightie, her eyes wide when she spotted the Tardis.

She bolted up to them and the Doctor just grinned knowingly, having experienced so many companions before her being wonderstruck by the Tardis. Ariel being one of them.

“Sorry about running off earlier. Brand new Tardis. Bit exciting. Just had a quick hop to the moon and back to run her in,” the Doctor shrugged. “She's ready for the big stuff now.”

“Oh, that hardly felt quick,” Ariel sighed, leaning her head back against the Tardis door. “Still, Neil was nice,” she smirked.

“Oh, we’ll probably pay him a couple more visits if you want,” the Doctor said.

“That’d be brilliant,” Ariel grinned.

Amy ignored their bantering, beginning to grow accustomed to it, but continued to frown at the pair of them and the Tardis.

“It’s you,” Amy breathed. “Both of you,” she said, glancing between the couple. “You came back.”

“Course we came back,” the Doctor shrugged. “We always come back. Something wrong with that?” He asked, turning to frown at Ariel and genuinely curious if that was a bad thing.

“Of course, not,” Ariel said, shaking her head at the Doctor. 

“But you kept the clothes,” Amy remarked, narrowing her eyes at the suit and bow tie the Doctor donned.

“Oh, not surprise there,” Ariel scoffed. “Like I said before, you’ll be lucky if you can get him to change from those clothes,” she chuckled.

“Well, I just saved the world,” the Doctor sighed, rolling his eyes at the two women who were bound to be menaces in their travels to come. “The whole planet, for about the millionth time, no charge. Yeah, shoot me. I kept the clothes,” he shrugged and Ariel just snorted and shook her head.

“And the bow tie?” Amy prompted, looking to Ariel rather than the Doctor and wearing an amused smirk as she did so.

“Don’t ask me,” Ariel sighed, grinning at the Doctor. “Next thing I know he’ll be wearing fezzes or something.”

“Oi, it’s cool,” the Doctor insisted, straightening his bowtie as he spoke. “Bow ties are cool. And fezzes are cool too,” he pouted at Ariel.

“He’s an a thousand year old alien what do you want me to say?” Ariel shrugged.

“Hold on, you’re from another planet?” Amy prompted, frowning at the Doctor.

“Yeah,” the Doctor said, shrugging nonchalantly at the concept.

“Okay,” Amy nodded, her eyes wide as she digested the information being tossed at her. 

The Doctor and Ariel shared a look and an expectant smirk. They knew what was to come and while Ariel had been upset she could lose the safety of just her and the Doctor in the Tardis, she desperately wanted to see another person’s reaction to the interior of the Tardis. It was always hilarious and wonderful to watch.

“So what do you think?” The Doctor prompted, raising an eyebrow at the ginger.

“Of what?” Amy frowned.

“Other planets,” the Doctor shrugged. “Want to check some out?” He implored.

“There are so many things just waiting to be seen by you Amelia Pond,” Ariel smiled.

“What does that mean?” Amy asked desperately, frowning at the pair.

“It means,” the Doctor sighed, glancing back at Ariel and raising an eyebrow, unsure of how to proceed. She simply shrugged and he took a deep breath. “Well, it means come with us,” he smirked.

Amy took a step back and still watched the pair with wary eyes. “Where?” She wondered.

“Anywhere,” Ariel grinned.

“Wherever you’d like,” the Doctor nodded.

“All that stuff that happened,” Amy breathed. “The hospital, the spaceships, Prisoner Zero,” she listed aimlessly, her eyes wide as she stared down at the ground.

“Oh, don't worry, that's just the beginning,” the Doctor nodded. “There's loads more,” he promised.

“So much more,” Ariel agreed, sighing but wearing a dazed grin across her lips.

“Yeah, but those things, those amazing things, all that stuff,” Amy sighed, seeming wonderstruck by the things they had endured together. That was until that wonder died in her eyes and she looked up at the pair with a clenched jaw and daggers in her eyes. “That was two years ago!” She yelled.

The Doctor and Ariel’s hearts stopped simultaneously as their eyes grew large. They turned to each other, each with bated breath as the shock they felt encircled the duo.

“Oh!” The Doctor exclaimed.

“Yikes,” Ariel winced.

“Whoops,” the Doctor mumbled, shrinking back against the Tardis.

Amy glared at them, nodding slowly and never stealing away from the anger that she felt of being robbed two years traveling through time and space while they just popped by the moon.

“Yeah,” Amy hummed.

“Oh, wait-,” Ariel began, her eyes still wide as she realized how long they’ve kept her waiting.

“So, that’s-,” the Doctor nodded, following her train of thought.

“Fourteen years!” Amy cried, stamping her foot in the grass and finishing the sentence for them.

“Fourteen years since fish custard,” the Doctor sighed. “Amy Pond, the girl who waited, you've waited long enough,” he smiled.

Amy eyed the pair curiously, staring at the Tardis they both stood in front of. “When I was a kid, you both said there was a swimming pool and a library, and the swimming pool was in the library,” she remembered.

“Yeah,” the Doctor sighed, glancing back at the Tardis. “Not sure where it's got to now,” he mumbled.

“It might be in the garden with Rufus,” Ariel suggested with a small shrug. They had a whole garden room where they left her pet dog from back home and only walked in occasionally to feed him. He had the whole room to himself and it was likely the pool had slipped into that large room.

“It'll turn up,” the Doctor nodded. He turned back to Amy and raised an eyebrow. “So, coming?” He prompted.

Amy hesitated for a moment. “No,” she said and Ariel smiled. They all knew she really wanted to come, but was just saying no to try and spite them.

“You wanted to when you were a kid,” the Doctor reminded her.

“I grew up,” Amy replied.

“Ah, that’s changeable,” Ariel hummed, grinning at the Doctor who nodded along with her.

“Don't worry. I'll soon fix that,” the Doctor promised. He glanced at Ariel and nodded to her and she stepped to the side so he could open the door for Amy and show her all that she could be travelling in.

Just like all the companions before her, Amy froze and grew entranced by the wondrous lights and large interior held within the small Tardis.

Ariel giggled watching her, remembering her own similar reaction to the Tardis.

Amy stepped inside slowly and cautiously but once she was in, the Doctor and Ariel followed, closing the door behind her. 

“Well?” The Doctor prompted, raising an eyebrow at Amy. “Anything you want to say? Any passing remarks? I've heard them all,” he shrugged.

“I’m in my nightie,” Amy blanched, looking around the room and back to her own wardrobe.

Ariel snorted. “Bet you haven’t heard that one,” she mumbled.

The Doctor chuckled and swatted at her playfully before marching up to the Tardis console with Ariel following closely behind. 

“Oh, don't worry. Plenty of clothes in the wardrobe,” the Doctor shrugged.

“Wait,” Ariel gasped. “I haven’t checked the wardrobe yet!” She exclaimed

“And possibly a swimming pool,” the Doctor added with an amused nod. “So, all of time and space, everything that ever happened or ever will, where do you want to start?” The Doctor hummed, grinning at Amy.

“You are so sure that I’m coming,” Amy smirked, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes at the pair.

“Yeah, I am,” the Doctor nodded, grinning arrogantly at Amy.

“Why?” Amy wondered.

“Cause you're the Scottish girl in the English village,” the Doctor said. “Funny enough I know someone just like you,” he hummed. “Plus, I know well enough how it feels.”

“Oh, do you?” Amy prompted.

The Doctor cast a knowing glance over at Ariel who just blushed crimson red at his words. “I know that you’ve been staring out that window for the past fourteen years just itching to get a chance to fly away, searching for whatever it takes to get your freedom,” he said, recalling what Ariel had told him about her own life. “Plus, all these years living here, most of your life, and you've still got that accent. Yeah, you're coming,” he nodded, grinning at her.

Amy seemed to realize she couldn’t win this war when all she wanted to do was scream out that she’d want nothing more than to go with them. “Can you get me back for tomorrow morning?”

Ariel looked up and narrowed her eyes at Amy. What was so special about tomorrow?

“It’s a time machine,” the Doctor sighed, seeming a tiny bit frustrated that people ask that when he can travel anywhere in time. “I can get you back five minutes ago. Why, what's tomorrow?” He wondered, voicing the question on Ariel’s mind.

“Nothing. Nothing,” Amy assured them with a shrug. “Just you know, stuff.”

Ariel could tell she wanted to drop the matter, so they obliged but that didn’t stop the small nagging in her mind of just want Amy could be hiding.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow, silently asking if they should try to find out more or simply leave it alone and all Ariel could do was shrug. She didn’t know at that moment and would need to find out more before she could say whether or not they should look into what happened to Amy Pond the two years they were gone.

“Alright, then,” the Doctor conceded with a sigh. “Back in time for stuff,” he said.

Before he could start the time rotors, there was a soft whirring and a sonic screwdriver popped up from the console. It was slightly larger than the last and had a green light on the end rather than blue but the Doctor seemed pleased merely to have it in his hands once again. 

“Oh! A new one!” The Doctor exclaimed, holding it up and grinning as he turned to show it off to Ariel who laughed and admired it silently. “Lovely. Thanks, dear,” he said, patting the console affectionately and passing the sonic to Ariel for her to toy around with. 

In the end, she would probably wind up using the sonic just as much as he did so it was good for them to get a grapple on the new settings immediately.

Amy watched them curiously as Ariel went to the jumpseat and sat down, messing with the sonic as she did so.

“Why me?” Amy wondered.

The Doctor turned to her with a small frown. He couldn’t remember ever having received that question before.

“Why not?” The Doctor shrugged and a spark shot out from the typewriter and Ariel stared at them with wide eyes while the Doctor peered around the console and raised an amused eyebrow at her.

“Sorry,” Ariel winced. “Got the wrong setting,” she sighed.

The Doctor chuckled softly and turned to Amy who just frowned at Ariel. “Seriously,” Amy sighed. “You have her already and yet you are still asking me to run away with you in the middle of the night. It's a fair question,” she nodded. “Why me?”

The Doctor sighed and hung his head, unwilling to reveal just while he felt it so imperative that they bring her along just yet. Not until he got more information on the cracks in the universe. He glanced over at Ariel, hoping she would offer some advice, but she hardly seemed to be paying attention. Instead, she jumped up victoriously, pumping her fists in the air and grinning that dazzling smile he loved so much.

“I got the red setting!” Ariel exclaimed and the Doctor laughed as she glanced at the Doctor and Amy with wide eyes, just remembering they were in the room. “Sorry,” she mumbled awkwardly and sat back down only to sit right on her ice cream. “Oh, sit!” She cried and hopped right back up again to see a huge splotch of chocolate ice cream on her trousers. “Oh,” Ariel whined. “These were my favorites.”

“The Tardis should have another pair for you in the wardrobe,” the Doctor offered with a shrug. 

“Good idea!” Ariel grinned. “Then I can check if the pool is in there!” 

She started running out but the Doctor had to quickly stop her at the great big chocolate stain still on his new jumpseat.

“Oi, ice cream!” He called.

“Shit!” Ariel said again and the Doctor laughed as she ran through with a roll of towels and started cleaning up.

The Doctor watched her with a bemused smirk while Amy just frowned. “Is it always like this?” Amy wondered. 

“Sometimes,” the Doctor shrugged. When Amy raised an eyebrow, he just sighed. “Alright, most of the time,” the Doctor nodded. “That’s partly why we need you. We go a bit mad just having each other around.”

“We do not!” Ariel yelled.

“Oi, you hush and clean the jumpseat!” The Doctor snapped. “It’s brand new,” he moaned.

“So’s the screwdriver, which do you think I was going to get more excited about?” Ariel prompted, raising a knowing eyebrow at him and he just rolled her eyes.

“Fine, you make a good point,” the Doctor conceded.

“Exactly,” Ariel giggled. 

“So, you two are lonely,” Amy frowned. “That’s it? Just that?”

“Just that,” the Doctor nodded. “Promise.”

Ariel glanced at him over her shoulder and raised an eyebrow and he shook his head faintly so only she could notice. The brunette knew when Prisoner Zero said they hadn’t used the crack to enter this world that there was more to it and until they figured it out they couldn’t let Amy Pond out of their sight.

She had realized that on their way down to pick her up again. She had originally thought that the Doctor genuinely wanted to travel with another companion for a while and only realized hours afterward that there could be another reason.

“Okay,” Amy nodded.

“So, are you okay, then?” The Doctor prompted, raising an eyebrow. “Because this place, sometimes it can make people feel a bit, you know,” he shrugged.

“You’re not wrong there,” Ariel sighed, grabbing her roll of towels and standing up. “Stain’s out, I’m gonna go get changed and look around for the pool.  _ Don’t _ go anywhere without me,” she warned.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” the Doctor smiled.

Ariel left and Amy stared down at the console with wide eyes.

“Amy?” The Doctor prompted. “You alright?”

“I'm fine,” Amy sighed. “It's just, there's a whole world in here, just like you said. It's all true. I thought,” she said awkwardly, wary of telling him exactly what she had thought to his face. “Well, I started to think that maybe you were just like a madman and some madwoman with a box,” she shrugged.

“Oh, she’s not, but Amy Pond, there's something you'd better understand about me, because it's important, and one day your life may depend on it,” the Doctor said with wide eyes. “I am definitely a madman with a box,” he grinned. He pulled the lever and set the time rotors into motion. “Ha ha!” He exclaimed. “Yeah. Goodbye Leadworth, hello everything,” he beamed.

He smiled as he looked down at Amy, staring up at the time rotors in motion with wonder in her eyes. He had been highly entertained by her wariness of calling him mad. Where Ariel was concerned, he would always state the obvious. She was nowhere near mad. She couldn’t be, she was the one person in the universe that kept him sane and happy as just a madman in a box. She was fun, brilliant, and wonderful but she wasn’t mad. No, she was just exactly what he needed to keep up the lonely old life in the Tardis he bore.

She was his everything and once he had her, he couldn’t imagine what he’d do without her.

Amy gazed around the Tardis as the Doctor kept it in flight, glancing back at the corridor and silently wondering when Ariel would return.

“Why’s it a phonebox?” Amy wondered.

“Sorry what?” The Doctor prompted, hardly focusing on what she asked at the moment.

“On the outside it said police box,” she reminded him. “Why have you labeled a time machine police box, why not time machine? Is that too obvious? And what is a police box? Do policemen come in boxes? How many did you get? Are you a policeman?”

The Doctor raised an eyebrow at her, knowing she could answer that question for herself but amused by it nonetheless.

“No,” Amy answered immediately with a nod, knowing that question was silly. “Look at your hair,” she scoffed, the very idea of a policeman wearing that hair ridiculous.

However, the Doctor took personal offense to this and his eyes grew wide as he delicately touched his hair, wondering what was wrong with it. Ariel hadn’t commented on it or laughed so it couldn’t be that bad, right?

“Actually, just  _ look at your hair _ !” Amy exclaimed. She had never seen hair like his before. It was maddening. 

The Doctor began looking between her and a small mirror strapped to the console, trying to measure how bad it could possibly be.

“Do you ever look at your hair and think, _whoa_ , it just won’t stop and my _chin_!” She cried, cringing at the very sight of it.

The Doctor wrapped his hand around his chin with large eyes. He knew it was bad, but was it  _ that _ bad?

“Look, I’m wearing a bow tie,” Amy moaned and the Doctor fiddled with his bow tie momentarily before sighing and turning away. No. There was nothing wrong with that. It was the one thing he had full confidence in no matter how much the women may poke fun. Bow ties are cool. “Shoot me down!” Amy cried. “Am I gabbling?” She sighed, realizing she had been talking nonstop since Ariel left.

“A bit, yeah,” the Doctor mumbled, nodding to her but distracting himself with the Tardis once again and glancing at the corridor. Ariel had always been better at talking to the companions than him. Had it really been so long since she left or did it just feel like longer when he was alone with a confused and gabbling companion?

“Worse than it sounds,” Amy sighed. He probably thought nothing of it but she felt like a fool rambling off a hundred questions the second she steps foot through those doors. She was sure Ariel hadn’t done the same to him so he was probably exhausted of her questions and tired of her by them. 

Amy found her gaze wandering to the corridor and wondering desperately when Ariel would be coming back. She could make the atmosphere calm again and stop an awkward rift from popping up between the ginger and the Doctor before they had even gone on their first trip together.

“First question,” the Doctor sighed, flipping a few switches on the console before turning his attention to her. Amy’s eyes simply widened, unable to speak at the fact that he was genuinely taking the time to answer all the questions she had fired at him with. It was mind numbing for her to even think back on, let alone imagine him answering.

However, the Doctor just smiled at her surprise. He knew if Ariel was there rather than him she would have waited for Amy to finish before answering all of her questions in a row. They had done the same for each other countless times. They always lent an ear to the other’s rambles. It was how their relationship worked so beautifully. They never interrupted, barked at, or humiliated the other.

“Yes,” Amy said, finally ready to accept the fact that she was going to be faced with all the aimless questions she had tossed at him.

“It’s not really a police box,” the Doctor shrugged, walking past her and getting supplies to cover up the small puffs of smoke emanating from the console as it flew while the Tardis broke in the new setting. “Which by the way is a special kind of telephone box that policemen used to use,” he informed her.

“Right,” Amy nodded. “Telephone box,” she mumbled, turning away and feeling more questions spark inside her mind. “There’s a light on the top,” she remembered. “Do you need to change the bulb?!” She exclaimed.

“Amy, stop,” the Doctor instructed. “Breath,” he said, guiding her through some deep breaths though Amy was just itching to ask more questions.

She really wished someone would stop her.

“Why doesn’t the air get out?!” Amy exclaimed, marching back in the direction of the front door. “It is made of wood,” she sighed. 

The Doctor sighed and turned away pressing his hands down on the console and taking a deep breath as he glared at the corridor. In his mind he silently willed Ariel back into the console room to help him or do something so he wouldn’t lose his mind.

“Oh, you’ve got a wooden time machine,” Amy hummed. “Do you feel stupid?” She wondered, shaking her head aimlessly at the Doctor. Amy winced as she realized what she asked. Ariel needed to get back and fast. “Sorry,” she shook her head. “Back to the bow tie,” she nodded, happy to address something Ariel herself had claimed she found ridiculous.

“It’s camouflage,” the Doctor shrugged. “It’s disguised as a police telephone box from 1963,” he said and Amy’s eyes grew wide, finding herself interested in the explanation of alien technology the Doctor was about to launch into. “Every time the Tardis materializes in a new location within the first nanosecond of landing,” he said, clicking his fingers to emphasize his point. “It analyzes its surroundings, calculates a twelve dimensional data map of everything within a thousand mile radius and determines which outer shell would blend in best with the environment,” he giggled like a little kid talking about his favorite toy. 

Amy even grinned, entranced by the wonderful explanation of the wonder of alien technology, before the Doctor’s smile fell.

“And then it disguises itself as a police telephone box from 1963,” the Doctor mumbled bitterly.

“Oh,” Amy said, her smile falling as well. “Why?”

“It’s probably a bit of a fault actually,” the Doctor said. “I’ve been meaning to check,” he mumbled, turning away so he wouldn’t have to face the accusation that he had clearly never meant to check. He knew that would find its way to Ariel soon enough and he’d be dead in the water.

“What? It’s a police box every time?” Amy frowned.

“Yeah,” the Doctor sighed. “I suppose now you mention,” he said, desperately trying to immerse himself in working with the console so she wouldn’t catch his lies or find anything worthy of mentioning to Ariel.

If she mentioned any of this to Ariel he would never live it down.

“How long’s it been doing that?” Amy wondered, assuming it had probably been a few weeks or maybe a couple months at most.

“Oh,” the Doctor sighed, turning away and turning his head down to the console. “Not long,” he winced, his voice squeaking as he spoke with the very blatant lie.

That one would be coming back to haunt him for sure.

“Okay, but what about the windows?” Amy asked, accepting his lie and moving on. “There are windows on the outside, where do they go?” She wondered.

He stood up straighter and turned to face her and she winced at the presence of the bow tie right in her face.

“Is it a cry for help?” Amy moaned.

“What?” The Doctor frowned. 

“The bow tie!” Amy exclaimed.

The Doctor frowned at her and held onto his bow tie tightly. The women on his ship would never understand how wonderful the bow tie was. “Bow ties are cool,” he reminded her and Amy’s eyes grew wide as she realized why he thought that.

“You’re an alien,” Amy realized.  _ That’s _ why he thought bow ties were cool!

“Yeah,” the Doctor grinned. “Well, in your terms,” he conceded with a shrug. “In my terms, you’re the alien,” he smirked, flicking her forehead and making her frown at him. “In quite a few people’s terms probably,” he shrugged.

“What kind of alien?” Amy wondered.

“Well, you know, a nice one,” the Doctor shrugged. “Definitely one of the nice ones,” he nodded with a large smile.

“So, you’re like a space squid,” Amy frowned, poking the Doctor’s suit curiously as if to see what might happen. “Or, something,” she shrugged. Her eyes widened as she remembered an old film she had seem once. “Are you like a tiny little slug in a human suit?” She wondered innocently.

The Doctor frowned at her and rolled his eyes, walking away while Amy just smiled in understanding.

“Is that why you walk like that?!” Amy exclaimed, walking around the console to come face to face with him.

The Doctor just sighed and grabbed her hands, knowing this wouldn’t be the action Ariel took but growing tired of her incessant questions. “Amy, this is me.” He place her hands on his cheeks. “This is what I really look like.”

“Well, that’s fine then!” Amy exclaimed, slapping his cheeks.

“Ow!” The Doctor shrieked. “Good!” He shouted, marching back to the console.

“Wait, so if you and Ariel are from two different species, how do you- you know?” Amy wondered, gesturing to his figure with a raised eyebrow.

“You lot fall in love with different species all the time in the future,” the Doctor sighed, clenching the console tightly. “She’s just one of the first few of you to do it.”

“First few?” Amy prompted with a frown.

“I was with someone else before her,” the Doctor nodded, silently irritated that Amy thought he would’ve gone through nine hundred years of time and space without dating anyone but Ariel.

“Oh, another human?” Amy assumed.

The Doctor inhaled sharply and kept his attention on the console, but nodded. “Yes.”

“Oh,” Amy shrugged. “Okay,” Amy sighed. “So I think I’m done there,” she nodded.

Right at that moment, Ariel walked in with her hair in a bun, a new set of trousers and a squirming golden retriever in her arms.

“Hey!” Ariel called, grinning at the pair who both turned to her with large eyes. “What did I miss?” She asked, raising an eyebrow at the pair.

“Ariel!” They exclaimed in unison and they both ran down to hug her making Rufus bark happily in their arms. 

“Oh, okay!” Ariel laughed. “I take it I missed an awful lot,” she sighed.

Amy pulled away and took the small puppy into her arms, giggling delightfully at the sight of the dog while the Doctor pulled Ariel into his arms and kissed her deeply, pouring his pure joy at her return into his kiss.

When he pulled away, Ariel gasped and stared at him with large eyes. “Okay, missed quite a bit then,” she assumed and the Doctor nodded furiously, his eyes unable to communicate the irritation neverending questions he’d had to endure through their usual nonverbal communication alone.

“Why have you got a dog on a time machine?” Amy wondered, bouncing the puppy in her arms.

The Doctor groaned loudly and sulked back to the console, dropping his head on it with a clang.

Ariel chuckled and shook her head at him, unsure of what had occurred when she was gone or why a simple question had made him so tired but the display was extremely amusing.

“He was mine back in my old house,” Ariel nodded. “When my Mum died, I couldn’t afford to live on my own so the Doctor took me in but seeing as I didn’t want to give the dog to my menace of an Uncle or up for adoption, he allowed me to bring him on board. He’s called Rufus.”

“Aw,” Amy smirked, petting the dog gently. “What do you mean when you say the Doctor took you in?” She asked. “Is that how you two met?” 

Before Ariel could answer, the Doctor moaned loudly once again. “We’re going!” He yelled, unable to listen to any more questions without them actually being in flight.

Ariel giggled at him and sighed. “I can answer all your questions and give you a tour of the Tardis if you want,” she offered.

“Yes!” The Doctor cried, needing some time on his own.

Amy smirked and shook her head. “That sounds like a good idea,” she nodded.

“Brilliant,” Ariel smiled. “You’re gonna have to place Rufus down, though. He could use a good walk round the Tardis to stretch his legs,” she grinned.

Amy chuckled but did as she asked and Ariel waved her through to the Tardis  corridors.

“So, just so you’re filled in, I met the Doctor about a year or so ago,” she shrugged. “Originally, I hadn’t planned on traveling with him full time. It sounded brilliant but I was still in school and my Mum was alive then.”

“What about your Dad?” Amy wondered.

“He died in a car accident when I was a kid,” Ariel shrugged, the lie that she often told new people falling off her tongue as it had done when she met the Doctor. Of course, he knew the truth now, but she didn’t feel like telling some new person that had just began traveling with them about her dirty little secret.

“Oh,” Amy winced. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright,” Ariel shook her head. “I’ve had time to get through it, but never mind that. I was filling you in on how the Doctor and I met,” she smiled and Amy nodded, mirroring the same grin back at her. “I actually walked into the side of his Tardis and when he popped out I became his makeshift tour guide,” she chuckled and Amy snorted out a laugh.

“Definitely not how most of his companions have met him,” Ariel nodded. “But it was a good story to have to laugh on later.”

“How have most of his companions met him?” Amy wondered with a small frown. “And how many companions has he had before?”

“Well, most of his companions meet him in the middle of a crisis. Albeit, I don’t think Ian and Barbara were really in a crisis, they were just snooping,” Ariel giggled, shrugging slightly at the idea. “But as far as how many companion he’s had I really couldn’t tell you. Not because he wants it secret but because I genuinely don’t know the number. He’s been traveling for hundreds of years and he’s gotten lonely a lot.”

“But if that’s the case, then what happened to them?” Amy asked. 

“He doesn’t like talking about it,” Ariel shook her head. “Some of them left, which is all well and good but some forgot because they needed to. Some even got left behind.”

“Left behind?” Amy frowned. “He’s left people behind?”

“Not by choice, trust me. But you saw how it is with Prisoner Zero. As amazing as it is, it’s dangerous too. There are some people he just can’t save,” Ariel shrugged.

Amy took a deep breath and nodded, grateful for the young girl unabashedly answering any and all questions she had. She knew the Doctor was more than willing to do the job but the fact of the matter was, her questions risked insulting him or bringing up some old memories he didn’t want to face or even just wearing him out. With Ariel, she didn’t have that same risk and was able to ask as she pleased without fear of insult. 

Though Amy had known the brunette her whole life, she still knew very little about her and she was happy to find that Ariel was as kind and gentle as she had imagined she would be. Amy figured she was the one that kept the Doctor calm in moments where he was just worn down and every little thing got under his skin so she took none of his reactions to heart and hoped he wouldn’t take her careless questions to heart either.

“Did you start living here after you began dating him or after your Mum died?” Amy asked.

“After my Mum died,” Ariel nodded. “Like I said, I had barely finished school and when my Mum was alive she was paying the bills and allowing me to come back and forth as I pleased.”

“She knew?” Amy frowned.

“Oh, yeah she knew,” Ariel nodded. “I was worried about telling her at first but eventually I did and she was skeptical but accepted it.”

“Did you tell her after or before you and the Doctor started dating?”

“After,” Ariel said. “It wasn’t because of that though. The planet had been at risk and I decided she should know that I wasn’t with her at the time because I was trying to save it,” she explained and Amy nodded in understanding. “But yeah, after my Mum died the only other place I could go was my Uncle’s since I couldn’t afford to live on my own. Instead, the Doctor offered to let me stay with him and I brought Rufus and we’ve living here ever since,” she smiled.

Amy nodded, digesting the information and searching her mind for any other questions she might have. “Was it odd dating an alien?” She blurted out.

Ariel laughed and shook her head. “The idea of it was weird at first, but I grew used to it,” she nodded. “Then again my massive crush on him only helped manners,” she smirked and Amy laughed. “But I think what helped it be less strange was how human he looked,” she shrugged.

Amy nodded. That made sense. Seeing a human face, it’s easier to fall in love than if you were face with a pure alien face. 

“But what about the age thing?” Amy winced. “‘Cos he is a lot older.”

“Yeah,” Ariel sighed. “I wrangled with that for a while. After all, he’s been married, and has kids and a grandkid.”

“He does?” Amy asked with large eyes and Ariel chuckled and nodded.

“Yep, lots of kids and a granddaughter named Susan. She’s the sweetest, he’s told me everything about her,” Ariel smiled. 

“How can you fall in love with a man that has grandkids?” Amy frowned.

“Well, like I said, his face helps. You see a young face you really don’t care or even think about the age behind it. But it also helped knowing that he’d been with people around my age too so it wasn’t like he was dating a nineteen year old for the first time at nine hundred.”

“He’s dated other people around your age?” Amy implored. She remembered he’d said about dating other humans but he never went into detail so she didn’t bother to ask.

“Off the top of my head, Rose Tyler,” Ariel nodded. “She was nineteen when she started traveling with the Doctor and she was nearing twenty when they started dating, but he was still hundreds of years older than her.”

“I don’t think I could do it,” Amy shook her head. “That would always be like a constant reminder in the back of my mind. He’s  _ a thousand _ ,” she sighed.

Ariel giggled. “Well, that’s good ‘cos you don’t have to date him,” she said and Amy chuckled and nodded.

“Alright, I’ve been a bit wary of asking this of the Doctor, but if he’s alien and you’re human, how do you- you know?”

Ariel frowned for a moment as she tried to decipher what Amy was saying before her eyes widened in understanding. “Oh, have sex?” Ariel prompted and Amy’s face turned as red as her hair but she nodded nonetheless. “Oh, all the parts are the same as any human,” Ariel dismissed with a wave of her hand. “It all works the same,” she shrugged.

“But can you actually get pregnant?” Amy wondered.

“Probably not but that’s not because of him. My Mum said that her getting pregnant with me was a one in a million chance and that I’m probably not likely to be able to carry children. Doctors confirmed that it was highly unlikely. Granted, him being an alien and having different DNA is likely to diminish that small chance to zero, but it’s not a big deal,” she shrugged.

“Really?” Amy frowned. “I’d be heartbroken if I found out I couldn't have kids. The bloke I’m with has always wanted them ever since he was a kid.”

“Rory, right?” Ariel guessed and Amy nodded. “Well, it’s not such a big deal for me since I’ve known basically my whole life,” she shrugged. “The Doctor knows too. It’s not really a problem.”

“You and the Doctor seem really close,” Amy remarked. “I know he said you both get lonely, but is that really why you two want me here?”

“Yeah,” Ariel nodded without a flicker of hesitation. “It is. He doesn’t like to mention it, but he needs more than just me and a life like this you pop in and out of every place you go and you don’t really make any major connections. We both need a friend like you,” she smiled.

“Well, I’m happy to oblige,” Amy grinned. “Now, can you show me round this place cause I’m fairly certain I’m lost just looking at it.”

Ariel giggled and nodded. “Of course,” she smiled.

~~~

Half an hour later they headed back into the console room with Rufus running up behind them.

“Alright, we’re done!” Amy called to the Doctor, drawing him out of his trace while working with the console. 

“Ha! Ha!” The Doctor exclaimed, grinning at the pair of them. He ran to the lever to start the time rotors, giving Ariel a quick chaste kiss as he went. “Amy Pond,” the Doctor sighed and pushed a lever on the console starting up the time rotors. “You’ve barely started,” he smirked.

Amy gazed up at him with large yet awestruck eyes and Ariel grinned. She always loved the little tricks the Doctor pulled just to show off.

The Doctor grabbed Ariel’s hand before running forwards towards the doors with Amy following close behind.

“‘Cause do you know what I keep in here?!” The Doctor exclaimed, skidding to a stop before the doors while Ariel’s heart raced in excitement, knowing what he was about to unveil for her. 

The Doctor spun around and Ariel grinned at him as he placed his back to the door while Amy bolted down the steps.

“What?” Amy wondered. She marched up to them and raised an eyebrow at Ariel, curious as to whether or not she would reveal the secret. The brunette simply shook her head no.

“Absolutely everything,” the Doctor hummed, opening the doors slowly and then all at once so she could see the galaxy outside. He moved away so she could get the full view and stepped back, wrapping his arm around Ariel behind the ginger. 

Ariel just smiled and shook her head as Amy stepped forward with large eyes, entranced by the constellations before her.

“You had to show off, didn’t you?” Ariel sighed.

“Oh, you know me,” the Doctor smiled. “Couldn’t pass up the chance,” he hummed.

“You’re going to show her the future next, aren’t you?” Ariel assumed. “They always love the future.”

“Not always,” the Doctor said, glancing down at her with a faint grin washed across his lips. “Some wonderfully rare ones like seeking out the past far more than the future.”

Ariel beamed up at him and he pulled her closer, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. 

They looked over at Amy and both shared identical grins as they watched her get pulled away by the world of promises the Doctor bore. 

“Anything that you fancy?” The Doctor prompted and Ariel snorted, slapping him playfully on the chest while he chuckled.

Amy turned to them with wide eyes. “We’re in space,” she gasped.

“That’s what it looks like,” Ariel hummed and the Doctor rolled his eyes and smirked. 

“Yep,” the Doctor nodded. “That’s space.”

“But it can’t be,” Amy reasoned with a small frown. 

“But it is,” the Doctor hummed. 

“But it’s like, it’s like, it’s like,” Amy breathed, stepping forward to get a closer look at the galaxy in front of them. “Special effects!”

“Oh, that is a first,” Ariel sighed.

“Like what?” The Doctor frowned, glancing at Ariel and Amy making sure he heard right. 

“It’s hallucinated,” Amy reasoned. “It’s not real.”

The Doctor and Ariel shared a smirk.

“Get out,” the Doctor said, nodding to the space outside with a smile. 

“What?” Amy asked, her teeth clenched as she spoke making Ariel giggle. She wanted to deny that it was space but deep within her she knew and she knew that the Doctor had just asked her to take a dive out into open space.

“No, seriously,” the Doctor nodded. “Get out!” He exclaimed and pushed her forward out into space.

Before she could float away, the Doctor grabbed onto her ankle and kept her floating just in front of the Tardis.

Ariel smiled up at her before turned to the Doctor. “I think I might want a go too,” she said wincing, slightly.

“Ah, the more the merrier,” the Doctor sighed. 

Ariel grinned and jumped out of the Tardis and up into space and before she could float away the Doctor grabbed her ankle with his other hand and kept the two girls floating beside each other in front of a galaxy.

Their hair floated from their heads and around them in waves as though the air free atmosphere was blowing their hair free. It was wonderful and had the girls giggling within mere minutes, but the Doctor found himself transfixed by the pure beauty that Ariel radiated.

Her smile, her laugh, everything about her made her fall more and more in love each moment. She was his perfection and she wouldn’t trade her for all the stars in the universe.

“Do you do this often?” Amy wondered, grinning at the girl and the Doctor.

“Sometimes,” Ariel shrugged. “I’ve only ever done it once and I was petrified the whole time,” she smiled.

“You made it through,” the Doctor nodded. “Then again you were probably only afraid because Donna kept yelling that you were mad for even trying.”

“Yeah, well,” Ariel sighed. “I’m here now, and it’s so beautiful,” she sighed.

“It is,” Amy nodded. “Definitely not special effects,” she remarked and the couple laughed. 

“Come on, Pond,” the Doctor nodded, pulling the pair down and back inside the Tardis.

Amy laughed as she collapsed into the Doctor’s arms and Ariel gave them a quick smile, her jealousy flaring up for a moment as the Doctor held her tightly in her arms and her arm remained draped over his shoulders.

She took a deep breath and shook her head, pulling her bun out of her hair and turning it into a ponytail as she marched past them to the console. She was mad, of course, for becoming jealous, but she couldn’t help it. If Amy kept looking at him like he was some sort of god she knew she was going to snap, and when she or the Doctor snapped out of jealousy it was never pretty.

“Now do you believe me?” The Doctor smirked.

“Okay, your box is a spaceship,” Amy laughed, her arms still around him. “It's really, really a spaceship. We are in space!” She exclaimed and the Doctor chuckled making Ariel clench her jaw and stare down at the console. The Tardis seemed to beep harshly and Ariel nodded.

“I know,” Ariel sighed. “But I can’t get angry with him yet. You and I both know him and he’s probably too daft to see she’s getting a crush on him,” Ariel mumbled. 

“What are we breathing?” Amy wondered.

“I’ve extended the air shell,” the Doctor assured her with a single nod. “We’re fine.” 

The image on the console’s screen flickered and revealed a ship with a British flag painted on the side. There was a soft beeping and Ariel smirked at the Tardis, hopping up and peering at the screen. 

The Tardis thought the same thing she did. Give him an adventure and he’ll forget about the pretty redhead developing feelings for him.

Not that Ariel blamed her of course, she had fallen down the same rabbit hole just one year ago and she did still truly want to be friends with the ginger. However, when it came to the Doctor she didn’t intend to just let him throw her to the side for the next new girl. If he wanted her to go and not just because he fell in love with Amy, she would, but until then she would fight to keep her boyfriend with all she had in her.

She didn’t want to lose him. 

“Doctor?” Ariel called, smirking at the screen. “I think we’ve got something.”

The Doctor dropped his hold of Amy forward making Ariel smile at him and point to the ship on the screen.

“Now that's interesting,” the Doctor hummed, zooming in on the image. 

“Why does it have a British flag on it?” Ariel wondered.

“It’s the twenty ninth century. Solar flares roast the earth, and the entire human race packs its bags and moves out till the weather improves. Whole nations,” he sighed.

“Wait I thought you said the earth got roasted five billion years in the future?” Ariel frowned.

“It did,” the Doctor nodded. “Well, officially anyway,” he shrugged. “Twenty ninth century the planet was too hot to live on. Most of those who couldn’t afford their own fancy ships to hover over it left. The National Trust kept it preserved until they could settle on a proper date to give it the final farewell.”

“Five billion years in the future?” Ariel deadpanned.

“What? I never said you lot were good at making decisions,” the Doctor sighed.

“Fair point,” Ariel shrugged. 

“Nevertheless, we should go down there. Might be nice to see where humanity ends up,” he smirked.

“Nice for us, you mean,” Ariel chuckled. “You’ve been all over the future. You know where we wind up.”

“Yeah, but don’t tell me you're not the slightest bit curious,” the Doctor smirked, knowing her all too well for her to even try and lie to him.

“I can’t,” Ariel grinned.

“Exactly,” the Doctor laughed.

“Doctor!” Amy cried. 

“Humanity,” the Doctor sighed. “Migrating to the stars,” he mumbled and Ariel nearly snorted at the very sight of it. Maybe, she was wrong about there being anything between the Doctor and Amy. He seemed to be tuning her out just fine.

“Doctor!” Amy yelled again.

“Isn’t that amazing?” The Doctor smiled. 

“Yeah, but I think Amy could use our help,” Ariel snickered, nodding to the doors where Amy had disappeared.

“Oh,” the Doctor said, his eyes wide and only noticing it when Ariel brought attention to it. It was touching to say the least and wiped away her concern that something might be between her Doctor and Amy. He didn’t even hear Amy while he was talking to Ariel because he was so focused on her. 

“Well, come on. Ariel has found us a spaceship,” the Doctor smirked down at Amy who was gripping onto the floor of the Tardis, looking up at the Doctor with wide eyes.

Ariel laughed and ran up to her. She helped the ginger up her feet and back inside the Tardis before closing the doors behind her.

“Thanks,” Amy sighed. “Is he always like this?” She frowned, watching as the Doctor ran back to the console.

“Usually when he finds a new adventure he gets a bit distracted,” Ariel shrugged, beaming at the Doctor as he tried to get a view inside the ship.

“He doesn’t seem to be distracted from you,” Amy remarked, narrowing her eyes at the girl.

“No, he doesn’t,” Ariel smiled. “Come on, let him show us the ship he’s got,” she said, waving Amy along as she skipped up to the Doctor’s side. 

When Ariel reached his side, the Doctor took his gaze which had been fixated on the screen and seemingly immovable off of it and turned to her with a large smile. He wrapped his arms around her and she beamed up at him. The pair shared in a sweet kiss before turning to the screen once more.

Amy took a deep breath and sighed. All her memories of being jealous of Ariel and the Doctor growing up were flooding back to her. She had yearned for a love like theirs. A love where they couldn’t be separate from each other for long just because of how much they loved each other. She had hoped for it with Rory but there was a bit of a disconnect. She didn’t know if they connected the way Ariel and the Doctor did and she didn’t know what she could do to fix it. 

She guessed the only way to have a love as great as theirs was to fall in love with a time-travelling space alien and go anywhere and everywhere any day of the week. Maybe, that can only grant a love as strong as theirs she realized with a sigh.

“Pond, what are you doing?” The Doctor asked, watching her with a frown as Ariel peered around the Doctor’s body, watching her with the same curious expression. “Come on,” he said, waving her forward. “You’ll want to see this,” he promised.

Amy smirked and nodded, shuffling her feet forward as Ariel wrapped her arm tighter around the Doctor’s waist and she sighed.

Tomorrow was her wedding day and she just knew it could never compare to what the Doctor and Ariel had. 


	7. Below

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of a shorter chapter, sorry!

“This is the United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland. All of it, bolted together and floating in the sky. Starship UK. It's Britain, but metal. That's not just a ship, that's an idea. That's a whole country, living and laughing and shopping. Searching the stars for a new home,” the Doctor hummed, staring at the screen with brilliant wide eyes.

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Ariel grinned.

“Every minute of it,” the Doctor nodded, pulling her closer and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

“Can we go out and see it?” Amy wondered.

“Course we can,” the Doctor shrugged. “But first, there’s a thing,” the Doctor said, holding up a single warning finger to Amy.

Ariel frowned. There was a thing? There had never been a thing before.

“A thing?” Amy prompted, seeming just as confused as she felt. 

“An important thing,” the Doctor nodded. “In fact, Thing One. We are observers only. That's the one rule I've always stuck to in all my travels. I never get involved in the affairs of other peoples or planets,” he told her.

Ariel’s jaw dropped to the floor. She wasn’t sure if she should immediately refute his claim, stare at him in shock, or just ridicule him until he learned his lesson about lying to the new companions.

She chose all three.

“Are you fucking joking?!” Ariel exclaimed and the Doctor turned to her with wide eyes, immediately regretting saying that in front of her. “You never get involved in the affairs of other peoples or planets?!”

“I’m trying to turn over a new leaf,” the Doctor moaned, whining as though she were a parent canceling his plans with his new friends.

“Please,” Ariel scoffed. “Five minutes after you got this face you destroyed her shed and immediately started investigating a bloody crack in her wall!” She snapped.

“That’s different,” the Doctor sighed.

“Okay,” Ariel nodded. “Then ‘bout an hour after that you stopped an all out war on the moon!” She reminded him. “You’re not turning over a new leaf after nine hundred years of the same thing, you complete dumbo,” she sighed.

“Alright, I-,” the Doctor opened his mouth but closes it immediately, unable to refute her statement. 

“Stop lying to the new companions you bloody idiot,” Ariel sighed, swatting him over the head.

“But I’m your bloody idiot,” the Doctor smirked and she giggled as he wrapped his arms around her and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips. 

They didn’t pull apart, but rather both turned back to the screen, standing as they were while Amy clenched her jaw and looked down at the console. 

The Doctor narrowed her eyes at a little girl waiting by the lift. “Oo, that’s interesting,” he hummed.

“Worthy of a peek?” Ariel prompted, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Most definitely,” he smiled. 

Ariel nodded and as Amy immersed herself in what the scanner was showing her, they crept off the Tardis and onto the ship.

It was like any of those futuristic ships you always saw in movies. Cramped corridors, lots of people bustling about and smoke blowing in from random vents. In fact, as she walking through the market it felt like she was walking into one of those sci-fi movies she used to love.

Ariel beamed up at the Doctor. “This is brilliant,” she smiled.

“It is, isn’t it?” The Doctor grinned. “Come on,” he nodded, spotting the young girl they had seen on the scanner sitting alone and crying. “There she is.”

“Why’s she crying alone?” Ariel frowned. “Dozens of people round here and nobody wants to comfort her? Blimey, the future is cruel.”

“It’s not just that,” the Doctor shook his head. “There’s something more going on here,” he sighed. “Come on.”

They walked over to the bench where the young girl sat and took a seat on either side of her. The girl sniffled and glanced at the couple with a small frown. “Who are you?” She asked.

“Ah, we’re some concerned people who wanted to make sure you’re alright,” Ariel shrugged.

“Are you alright?” The Doctor implored.

The young girl glanced around nervously and wiped her eyes before sitting up straighter and nodding. “I am,” she promised.

“Really?” Ariel frowned. “Because it doesn’t look like it,” she remarked.

“It’s okay,” the Doctor nodded. “You can tell us.” He glanced over at where the scanner had been looking in and frowned at the Tardis. He waved Amy to them on the scanner, gesturing for her to come out with them.

The Doctor turned to Ariel and raised an eyebrow. 

“Wait,” Ariel shook her head. “One minute,” she said to the girl. She stood up and pulled the Doctor to the side. She glanced around warily, ensuring nobody was listening to them.

“Doctor, something’s off about this ship,” Ariel mumbled. “I can’t explain it but there’s this feeling that should be there but isn’t.”

“You feel it too,” the Doctor nodded. “I felt it when we first stepped off the Tardis. I dunno what it could be.”

“Well, it feels like something is missing, is it to do with the ship or the people?” She wondered.

The Doctor glanced around with a small frown, his eyes darting across the ship as though he were scanning through the pages in a book. Eventually, he inhaled sharply and turned back to Ariel with large eyes.

“What is it?” Ariel breathed. “What’s wrong?”

“The engines,” the Doctor murmured.

“What?” Ariel prompted.

“Come on, we have to get Pond,” the Doctor said, grabbing her hand and pulling her away without further elaborating. 

Ariel nodded and though she wanted to ask more, she knew it was best to leave it for the moment and allow the Doctor to follow his train of thought.

“Welcome to London Market,” a voice over the intercoms of the ship said. “You are being monitored,” the voice informed them as Amy stepped out of the Tardis.

“I'm in the future,” Amy gasped, looking around the ship with large eyes. “Like hundreds of years in the future. I've been dead for centuries,” she frowned.

“Oh, lovely,” the Doctor said sarcastically. “You’re a cheery one.”

“Right buzzkill, you are,” Ariel said bluntly.

“Never mind dead,” the Doctor said, shaking his head at the women. “Look at this place, isn’t it wrong?” He prompted, imploring Amy to see what he and Ariel had seen.

“What’s wrong?” Amy wondered, shaking her head aimlessly.

“Come on, use your eyes,” the Doctor insisted. “Notice everything. What's wrong with this picture?” He asked.

“Is it the bicycles?” Amy asked, spinning to watch a man as he rode away on a rather large bicycle. “Bit unusual on a spaceship, bicycles,” she remarked.

“Says the girl in the nightie,” the Doctor retorted and Ariel snorted. 

“Oh my God, I’m in my nightie,” Amy gasped, her eyes wide as she just remembered she hadn’t changed from her nightie.

Ariel giggled. “It’s alright. It’s the twenty-ninth century people hardly care what you look like at this point,” she shrugged.

“She’s right,” the Doctor nodded. “Now, come on, look around you. Actually look,” the Doctor instructed, placing a hand on Amy’s shoulder and pointing around the ship.

“London Market is a crime-free zone,” the voice on the intercoms said.

Ariel turned to the intercom and narrowed her eyes at it. The voice seemed to be following along with their actions rather than the rest of the ship. Specifically, them. She took a deep breath and glanced back at the Doctor as he guided Amy through their way of thinking. She passed one last frown at the intercom before turning away and choosing to remember the information for later.

“Life on a giant starship,” the Doctor sighed. “Back to basics. Bicycles, washing lines, wind-up street lamps. But look closer. Secrets and shadows, lives led in fear. Society bent out of shape, on the brink of collapse. A police state. Excuse me,” he said. 

The Doctor walked up to a table with two people laying chess and grabbed one of their glasses of water. Ariel’s eyes widened as she realized what he was doing and hopped over to his side as he placed the water down on the ground.

“What are you doing?” The owner of the water asked and the Doctor ignored him, placing the water on the ground and narrowing his eyes at it.

The water was completely still.

Ariel and the Doctor shared a look like two detectives embarking on a new case before the Doctor quickly returned the water to its owner.

“Sorry,” the Doctor apologized. “Checking all the water in this area. There's an escaped fish,” he said in a hushed tone as though it were a secret the men should keep close to their chests and Ariel snickered. The Doctor turned back to the woman and wrapped an arm around Ariel’s shoulders with a sigh. “Where was I?” He asked.

“Why did you just do that with the water?” Amy wondered and Ariel sighed softly, she had been hoping the ginger would pick up on it when they spotted the water was entirely still.

“Don't know,” the Doctor shrugged. “I think a lot. It's hard to keep track.  Ariel usually has to do it for me,” he smirked. “Now, police state. Do you see it yet?” He prompted, pressing a finger to his lips and pointing at their surroundings.

“Where?” Amy breathed, still unsure of what they were looking for.

Ariel smirked when she spotted the little girl from earlier still crying on her own despite the dozens of people passing her each second.

“There,” Ariel murmured, pointing to the young girl cautiously.

Amy frowned at the pair. Why were they so interested in this little girl? On earth there were dozens of girls that cried on their own, but they weren’t always worthy of an investigation.

“One little girl crying,” Amy shrugged. “So?” She prompted.

“Crying silently,” the Doctor nodded. “I mean, children cry because they want attention, because they're hurt or afraid. But when they cry silently, it's because they just can't stop. Any parent knows that,” he shrugged.

“Which is cause for concern,” Ariel said, nodding along with the Doctor. “She’s truly upset and yet with this flooded market nobody is doing anything,” she sighed.

“Hundreds of parents walking past who spot her and not one of them's asking her what's wrong, which means they already know, and it's something they don't talk about. Secrets,” the Doctor whispered. “They're not helping her, so it's something they're afraid of. Shadows, whatever they're afraid of, it's nowhere to be seen, which means it's everywhere. Police state,” he reminded Amy with a firm nod.

The Doctor walked over to the young girl momentarily and bumped into her leaving Ariel and Amy alone.

“What’s he doing?” Amy frowned. 

“Trying to find out more about her,” Ariel shrugged. 

“How’s he gonna do that?” Amy wondered. “He just bumped into her, oh, and he did it again,” Amy moaned.

“Yeah, he’s trying to get her ID,” Ariel nodded. “In the future everything has got a dozen locks and seals over it. Everything is monitored and everything is protected including the people. Everyone has an ID identifying themselves,” she said.

“How do you know this?” Amy frowned.

“You learn a lot traveling with the Doctor,” Ariel shrugged. “I prefer going into the past but I still know the basics of the future. The Doctor taught me how to get by in most places on my own if we ever get seperated.”

“But you two are never separate,” Amy remarked. “You’re joined at the hip.”

“Only when we can be,” Ariel smiled. “He’s the only person I have left. The only family I still have. He’s the only person who knows absolutely everything about me and I know everything about him.”

“What, everything?” Amy prompted.

“Yeah,” Ariel nodded.

“So, you know his name?” Amy assumed.

Ariel’s eyes widened and before she could respond the Doctor walked back up to them and the little girl disappeared into the lift.

“Where’d she go?” Amy asked, peering around to try and spot the little girl. 

“Deck two oh seven. Apple Sesame block, dwelling 54A. You're looking for Mandy Tanner,” the Doctor informed them and Ariel nodded along while Amy just frowned at him curiously. “Oh, er, this fell out of her pocket when I accidentally bumped into her,” he said, pulling out a colorful wallet and passing it to Ariel. “Took me four goes,” he moaned and Ariel snickered. “Ask her about those things. The smiling fellows in the booths. They're everywhere,” he said, nodding to some booths behind them that looked more like puppets than anything they should be worried about. 

“Ask her what they are,” Ariel nodded, opening the wallet and trying to get as much information as possible. “Got it.”

“But they’re just things,” Amy shrugged, unsure of why the Doctor was suddenly so interested in them.

“They're clean,” the Doctor said with large eyes. “Everything else here is all battered and filthy. Look at this place. But no one's laid a finger on those booths. Not a footprint within two feet of them. Look. Ask Mandy, why are people scared of the things in the booths?” The Doctor instructed. “And bring Amy along,” he told her.

“Hold on, what?” Ariel asked, her eyes now wide.

“No, what?” Amy frowned. “I can’t do this.”

“You’ll be brilliant,” the Doctor assured her with a quick smile and nod. “And she’ll be able to help you,” he told Ariel, a glint of warning in his eyes. He knew about her jealousy, he always did and he knew that if she got jealous of someone who was a permanent companion it could become dangerous. He needed to put out the fire before it started.

Ariel sighed softly and hung her head, nodding to the Doctor and accepting his warning.

“No, hang on,” Amy muttered. “What do I do? I don't know what I'm doing here and I'm not even dressed!” She cried, pulling at her nightie furiously.

“It's this or Leadworth,” the Doctor reminded her. “What do you think? Let's see. What will Amy Pond choose?” He hummed and Ariel snorted, already knowing what that decision would be.

Amy glared at the pair of them and snatched the wallet from Ariel’s hands. “Let me see that,” she grumbled .

“Ha ha, gotcha,” the Doctor smirked. “Meet me back here in half an hour,” he instructed, heading away in the direction opposite of them.

“Hold on, where are you going?” Ariel frowned.

“What are you going to do?” Amy asked.

“What I always do,” the Doctor shrugged. “Stay out of trouble.”

“Yeah, not very good at that one!” Ariel called.

“Badly,” he added with a nod.

Ariel snorted and rolled her eyes at the Doctor. He smirked and ran forward, placing a quick but deep kiss on her lips.

When he pulled away, Ariel smiled softly at him while he cupped her cheek. “Don’t get yourself killed,” Ariel breathed.

“I could say the same to you,” the Doctor nodded.

“So is this how it works, Doctor?” Amy frowned. “You never interfere in the affairs of other peoples or planets, unless there's children crying?” She hummed.

The Doctor hesitated and narrowed his eyes at Amy. “Yes,” he mumbled, nodding quickly before kissing Ariel once more and bolting off in the opposite direction. 

Ariel watched him leave and squeezed her eyes shut, sighing softly. She hated when they went on adventures where they had to split up in order to get things done. There were many things wrong with the ship they stood on and even Ariel hadn’t been able to catch all of it while the Doctor did. Splitting up was the only way to uncover all of the secrets he had found.

“You really love him don’t you?” Amy mumbled.

“More than anything,” Ariel sighed. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath, watching the place the Doctor had left. She turned to the left and opened up the wallet he had given them. “Come on, we have to find Mandy,” she said. She grabbed Amy’s hand and pulled her into the lift by her side. 

“What are we even going to say to her when we find her?” Amy wondered. “How do you two usually do this?”

“We’ve got to find her first,” Ariel shrugged, getting the lift to take them to deck 207. “Usually I figure out what to say when we get there.”

“So, that’s it?” Amy shrugged. “We’re just winging it?”

“Welcome to traveling with the Doctor,” Ariel smirked as the lift whirred and started moving them to deck 207.

Once the doors opened Ariel frowned at the steam and hissing machines on the deck. It was covered in dirt and just around the corner there was another one of those things in a booth.

Ariel winced at the very sight of it. “Y’know, if we’re being honest here I would just be creeped out by those things by the very sight of them.”

“I dunno,” Amy shrugged, walking up to the puppet like machine. “They sort of remind me of those little fortune tellers they used to have in booths that would eat up all your quid.”

“I hated those things,” Ariel chuckled, still meeting the booth with uneasy eyes. “I never did like someone getting into my head.”

“I suppose that’s fair,” Amy nodded. “On a completely different note, do you know where the hell we’re supposed to go?” She asked, frowning at the deserted deck.

Ariel glanced around, silently hoping for some sign to pop out and guide them in the direction they needed to go. When none appeared, she sighed and nodded to the right of the puppet in the booth where there was a dimly lit corridor. 

“That’s as good a start as any,” Ariel shrugged.

Amy turned to frown at the corridor for a moment before nodding. “Alright.”

They started marching down the corridor only to have a voice behind them bring them both to a skidding stop.

“You’re following me,” Mandy accused and they both turned with large eyes to see her waiting for them patiently behind some barrels. “I saw you watching me at the market place.”

Amy and Ariel glanced at each other with wide eyes, both unsure of how to proceed when the girl clearly knew they were trying to track her down.

“You dropped this,” Amy said, handing the wallet to the young girl.

“Yeah, when your friend kept bumping into me,” Mandy snapped, snatching the wallet out of Amy’s hands and marching forward.

“Well, in his defense we just wanted to help,” Ariel shrugged, the two women following the young girl as she walked onward. 

“You’re not supposed to help,” Mandy sighed. “You were supposed to leave me be.”

“Oh, if you think he’s not gonna help just ‘cos he’s not ‘supposed’ to you’ve got another thing comin’, love,”  Ariel chuckled.

All of a sudden, Mandy skidded to a stop and stared at a striped workman’s hut with large eyes. Outside the hut were all sorts of barrier and ‘keep out’ signs guarding it but an open path for anyone to walk through if they wanted. It was funny, one would think if they really wanted to keep people out they would put more effort in than just tossing a few ‘keep out’ signs at it.

“What’s that?” Amy frowned.

“There's a hole,” Mandy breathed. “We have to go back.” Mandy started turning to make her way back from whence she came while the two women continued stepping toward the hole curiously.

“A what?” Amy prompted. “A hole?” She muttered.

“Why would they put a tent around a hole?” Ariel wondered, continuing to move towards it with Amy.

“Are you two stupid?” Mandy frowned. “There's a hole in the road. We can't go that way. There's a travel pipe down by the airlocks, if you've got stamps. What are you doing?” 

“Oh, don’t mind us,” Ariel smirked, spinning around to Mandy with a large grin painted across her lips. “Never could resist a keep out sign,” she shrugged. She closed the gate so Mandy couldn’t get through before kneeling down beside Amy who picked up a padlock on the tent with a curious frown.

“What's through there?”  Amy wondered. “What's so scary about a hole? Something under the road?” She guessed.

“Nobody knows,” Mandy shook her head. “We're not supposed to talk about it.”

Amy and Ariel shared a look of sheer exasperation. If either of them had been told not to ask about something they would just raise more questions. That was basic human instinct.

“About what?” Amy prompted.

“Below,” Mandy mumbled, her voice cracking anxiously as she spoke.

“Oh, so something is below,” Ariel hummed, a small grin tugging at her lips as she grew a bit more antsy about uncovering the secrets of the ship.

“And because you're not supposed to, you don't?” Amy frowned at the girl.

Ariel smirked at her and pulled a pin out of her hair, handing it to the ginger. 

“Ha ha!” Amy exclaimed, immediately using the pin to pick at the padlock. “Watch and learn,” she mumbled.

“You sound Scottish,” Mandy observed.

“I am Scottish!” Amy exclaimed and Ariel laughed at her indignant tone. “What's wrong with that? Scotland's got to be here somewhere,” she mumbled.

“No,” Mandy shook her head. “They wanted their own ship.”

Ariel snorted and Amy simply grinned. At last Scotland got the independence they had been itching to get for centuries. 

“Good for them,” Amy hummed.

“The future isn’t so different after all,” Ariel remarked.

“Nothing changes,” Amy chuckled, nodding in agreement.

“So how did you get here?” Mandy wondered. “Did you bring her?” She asked Ariel and Ariel shrugged.

“Sort of,” Ariel mumbled.

“We’re just passing through,” Amy said. “With a guy.”

“Your boyfriend?” Mandy guessed.

“ _ My _ boyfriend,” Ariel corrected quickly while Amy stopped working at the lock, her smile falling.

“Oh,” Amy breathed.

“What?” Mandy frowned.

“Nothing,” Amy sighed, shaking her head and resuming work on the lock. “It's just, I'm getting married. Funny how things slip your mind,” she mumbled.

Ariel’s eyes grew large. She was getting married? She silently cursed herself and squeezed her eyes shut. Of course, she wasn’t hitting on the Doctor. She’d even mentioned still having a boyfriend. She had no idea why she had just automatically assumed the first pretty young companion the Doctor traveled with would start flirting with him but she did no that she was entirely too jealous for her own good. 

However, Amy’s eyes widened and she glanced at Ariel for an entirely different reason. “You can’t tell the Doctor,” Amy breathed.

Ariel frowned. “I don’t keep secrets from the Doctor,” she said, shaking her head. 

“Can you please just keep this one?” Amy begged. “I don’t want him dragging me back just yet.”

“He wouldn’t drag you back, but if you really don’t want anyone else to know you’re getting married I won’t tell. But, Amy, you’re gonna have to tell him eventually,” Ariel warned. “If you don’t, I will.”

“I know,” Amy sighed. “I just have no idea how to tell him that I just really want to run away from getting married right now,” she mumbled.

“You’re getting married?” Mandy frowned.

“Yeah, shut up, married,” Amy snapped. “Really, actually married. Almost definitely,” she sighed.

“Couldn’t this just be cold feet?” Ariel offered, seeing how terrified Amy was at the idea of marrying Rory.

“I dunno,” Amy mumbled. “I just don’t want to think about it,” she said and Ariel nodded, understanding that she probably just needs more time to process the fact that she would be with Rory for the rest of her life.

“When is the wedding?” Mandy asked and Ariel snorted, that was an odd topic.

“Well, it's kind of weird,” Amy sighed, shrugging slightly. “A long time ago tomorrow morning. I wonder what I did,” she mumbled. Her eyes widened when the lock clicked open and she grinned. “Hey, hey. Result!” She exclaimed. “Coming?” She prompted Mandy, raising an eyebrow.

“No!” Mandy snapped almost immediately.

“Suit yourself,” Amy shrugged then turned to smirk at Ariel. “Ready?”

“‘Course I am,” Ariel grinned. “Come on,” she said, nodding to the tent. The two women start crawling into the tent and completely missed when the face of the once smiling puppet turned into a fearsome scowl with glowing red eyes.

“Stop!” Mandy cried, catching the face of the puppet and growing worried about the fate of the two women. “You mustn’t do that!”

The two women ignored her and crawled even further into the tent.

“Eugh, the least they could do was leave the lights on,” Ariel murmured, narrowing her eyes and trying to see inside the barely lit tent. 

“Wait, here I think this is some sort of futuristic torch,” Amy sighed, her hand hitting something as she crawled forward. “If only I could figure out how to get it on,” she mumbled.

“Here, let me see,” Ariel said, holding out her hand for the torch. Amy passed it to her and she felt around the torch for some button to pressed or something to switch it on. “Hold on, I think it’s wind up,” she frowned, finding a crank and beginning to spin it.

“Not very futuristic,” Amy mumbled, disappointed by the lack of innovative tech present in the torch.

“I know right?” Ariel chuckled. “Here, I think I’ve got it,” she sighed as the tent began to light up.

There was a hole in the road, there was no doubt about that. But Ariel uncovered just why they had to build a whole tent around the hole. There was some sort of tentacle or tail poking through. It looked like the tail of a scorpion, but purple betraying its alien nature.

“Oh, my God,” Amy gasped.

“I know,” Ariel nodded, stepping closer to get a better look at the creature. “How is this sticking out in the ship?” She wondered.

“That’s weird,” Amy agreed, shaking her head with a small frown.

“No doubt about that,” Ariel hummed. “It looks like it must be coming from-.”

Before she could finish her thought, the tail lifted itself up and fell down hard near them making Ariel jump back into Amy’s arms.

“Are you alright?!” Amy exclaimed.

“Yeah, it just took me by-,” Ariel breathed. The tail started swinging and launched itself at them again.

Amy cried out and they both jumped back as the tail started trying to stab at them several times. They fell to the ground and scooted out with large eyes, side by side, never daring to waver their gazes from the tail.

“What the hell,” Ariel breathed. “It just started attacking, it-!” 

“Ariel,” Amy muttered, tapping the girl’s hand anxiously. “We’ve got trouble.”

Ariel looked up and there were several men baring stoic faces in dark hoods, glaring down at them.

“Oh,” Ariel winced. Before she could even try to come up with a clever excuse as to why they were inside the tent as the Doctor would have done, two of the men stuck their fists in Amy and Ariel’s faces. 

A black ring on that fist lifted up and sprayed them with a clear gas that made the world grow hazy as it slowly faded to black.

~~~

Ariel woke up with a sharp gasp and frowned at her surroundings. She was in a chair surrounded by computer screens and Amy was nowhere in sight.

“What the hell happened?” Ariel groaned, rubbing her forehead and wincing against the slight twinge of pain she felt.

“Welcome to voting cubicle three thirty C,” the computer announced and Ariel glanced around the small room with a frown. “Please leave this installation as you would wish to find it. The United Kingdom recognises the right to know of all its citizens. A presentation concerning the history of Starship UK will begin shortly. Your identity is being verified on our electoral roll. Name, Ariel Carol Parsons. Age, thirteen hundred and four. Marital status, married.”  
“Sorry, what?” Ariel said with wide eyes. “Who am I married to?”  
“Verifying,” the computer announced. Ariel sat up, staring at the screen and barely even blinking. “Unknown.”  
“Oh, fat lot of good that does me,” Ariel moaned, slumping back in her seat.

The screen flickered and a strange man appeared, though his face appeared kind Ariel knew he was probably anything but.

Ariel sat up once again and narrowed her eyes at the man. “You are here because you want to know the truth about this starship, and I am talking to you because you're entitled to know. When this presentation has finished, you will have a choice. You may either protest or forget,” he said and she glanced down at the buttons just beside her fingertips with a small frown. “If you choose to protest, understand this. If just one percent of the population of this ship do likewise, the programme will be discontinued with consequences for you all. If you choose to accept the situation, and we hope that you will, then press the Forget button. All the information I'm about to give you will be erased from your memory. You will continue to enjoy the safety and amenities of Starship UK, unburdened by the knowledge of what has been done to save you. Here then, is the truth about Starship UK, and the price that has been paid for the safety of the British people. May God have mercy on our souls,” the man sighed.

The presentation was fast and left Ariel reeling. When it was finished, she sat back with large eyes and stared down at the two buttons with a scowl. She knew what she had to do. 

Without even thinking, she slammed her hand down hard on ‘protest’. 

Beneath her feet she heard a loud whirring and she jumped up with wide eyes. The floor was opening up to some red and raging beast below. 

“Oh, bloody hell,” Ariel moaned. She turned to the door and tried to get it open, slamming her hands down on it furiously and trying to pry it open but it was sealed shut. “Shit!” Ariel snapped.

She need to tell the Doctor what was beneath the ship. She needed to let him know what they were doing to the starwhale. “Doctor!” Ariel cried. “Doctor!” She yelled, but there was nothing. 

The floor continued opening wider and wider and Ariel sighed. She was going to have to go in. There was no doubt in her mind about that. No wonder nothing had been done. If they kept feeding the people who protested to the starwhale’s imprisonment they wouldn’t be able to do anything.

Ariel took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “Find me, Doctor,” she breathed.

She gulped harshly as she opened her eyes and peered at the floor opening beneath her feet.

“Geronimo!” Ariel cried before jumping up and diving down straight into the belly of the beast.

Meanwhile, just a few rooms away, the Doctor was using his sonic screwdriver to scan a device on the ceiling in Amy’s room. She had chosen the other option available for citizens. She had chosen to forget.

“Yeah, your basic memory wipe job,” the Doctor sighed, peering at the readings on his sonic as he stepped down from the chair. “Must have erased about twenty minutes,” he shrugged.

“But why would I choose to forget?” Amy wondered, frowning at the doctor and Mandy who was standing by in the open doorway.

“Because everyone does,” Mandy shrugged. “Everyone chooses the Forget button.”

“Everyone, huh?” The Doctor mumbled, a small smirk playing at his lips as he thought of the one person on the ship who would definitely not choose to forget whatever the video had played.

“Yeah,” Mandy frowned. “Who wouldn’t?”

“I can think of one person,” the Doctor nodded. “We need to get to Ariel’s voting booth.”

“Why?” Amy asked. “What’s happened?”

“If she didn’t choose to forget, which I’m sure she didn’t, she chose to protest and I’m willing to bet they’ve done something to her because of it,” the Doctor said, his jaw clenched at the very idea.

Mandy paled. “If she chose to forget, she’s gone below,” she mumbled.

“Below?” The Doctor said, his eyes wide. “What do you mean below? Where the hell is she?!” His eyes blazing as he marched over to Mandy and towered over her small figure menacingly.

“You can only go below if you choose to protest,” Mandy shrugged, shying away from the Doctor’s rage. 

“Then guess where we’re going,” the Doctor hummed, the decision hardly even asking for a moment of pause. It was instinctual. Whenever Ariel was in trouble, he would be there. 

“Doctor, are you sure this is a good idea?” Amy said, her eyes wide as she grabbed his arm to stop him before he could sonic the buttons on the computer.

“The woman I love is trapped below because she chose to protest and tried to get whatever is in these videos out to the public and they’re going to kill her for it,” the Doctor said, glaring at Amy. “There’s no decision here,” he sighed, yanking his arm out of Amy’s grasp and marching over to the buttons.

“But we don’t even know if she chose protest,” Amy moaned. “She could’ve chosen to forget like me,” she reasoned.

The Doctor looked at Amy with narrowed eyes. “I know everything about Ariel Parsons. I know her favorite foods, I know what she dreams about, I know that she loves a cup of hot cocoa in the morning purely because it irritated her mother. I know it all, and I know that she would never allow someone to take her memories,” he smiled. “Now, hold tight,” he instructed, pointing his sonic at the computer. “We’re bringing down the government.”

The Doctor slammed his hand down on the protest button. The door slammed shut and the floor began to open up as it had done for Ariel just moments before. 

“Say wheeee!” The Doctor exclaimed, grinning at Amy.

“Argh!” Amy cried and within a few seconds they were dropped down into the chute.


	8. The Star Whale

Ariel screamed as she slid through the tube before landing face down in some sort of watery rubbish dump.

She placed her hands on the floor and looked up with a scowl etched into her face. Of all the ways to land it was safe to say she found the worst.

“Eugh, where am I?” Ariel grumbled. There weren’t many lights to offer some clues as to where she landed, but she could guess fairly easily. 

There were scraps of organic food surrounding her and a red or pinkish interior. Wherever she was, it was somewhere in the starwhale.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Ariel exclaimed, standing up and stamping her foot on the starwhale.

The starwhale groaned loudly and Ariel’s heart stopped in her chest. “I’m sorry,” she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper. “Don’t digest,  _ please _ don’t digest,” she begged.

The starwhale fell silent and she sighed softly in relief. She glanced around at her surroundings and groaned. She had to find a way out and fast before that creature ate her and she never found a way out.

She glanced up at the tube she had come out of with a small frown. “Is that how they’re feeding you?” Ariel breathed. “Through some metal tubes prodding into your body?” She winced. “That’s morbid,” she remarked. “What’s wrong with your-,” she turned and saw a wall of teeth clenched shut. “Ah, so the normal entrance is closed for business,” she hummed.

Ariel marched through the mush and slosh of food they had attempted to feed the creature and tried to peer around for a way out. She knew right away she couldn’t climb back through the tube she had entered in. Not only could she not reach it, but she would probably slide back down the tube due to the liquid drenching her form, and the door would be sealed shut if she even managed to do it.

It would be a handy moment for a sonic screwdriver. 

She groaned and took one last look at the teeth. If they had wired this poor creature up to everything like some sort of machine then maybe the mouth would lead into some sort of overflow pipe.

As she started marching forward toward the teeth, the mouth vibrated and her eyes grew wide. 

“Oh, no, no, no, please do not swallow!” Ariel cried, running up to the teeth and placing her hand on them. “Please, I can help you just don’t swallow me!” She yelled.

The vibrating stopped and she let a heavy sigh of relief, falling to her knees on the tongue.

All of a sudden, there was a loud whooshing sound and screams coming from the tube she had fallen into the mouth through.

Ariel’s eyes widened and she got up, running to the tube just in time to have someone fall on her and push her backwards.

Ariel looked and spotted the face of the Doctor grinning down at her. “Doctor?!” She exclaimed.

“Ariel!” The Doctor laughed. He jumped up and helped Ariel to her feet before pulling her into a tight hug. “I knew you’d be down here!”

“But how?” Ariel wondered. “And where’s Amy?”

Right after she asked that, a screaming woman flew through the tube and landed inside the mouth.

“Okay, that answers that,” Ariel shrugged. The Doctor laughed and pulled her into another hug. 

“I knew you wouldn’t forget,” the Doctor mumbled. “You don’t want anyone taking away your memories.”

“Plus, what they’re doing is ridiculous,” Ariel nodded. “They think they’re protecting their people but they’re really just slowly killing this magnificent creature,” she sighed.

“What do you mean?” Amy frowned.

“Wait, you don’t remember?” Ariel prompted, shaking her head. “You chose to forget?”

Amy’s cheeks blossomed pink but she nodded. “I forgot.”

“Never mind that,” the Doctor said, shaking his head. “What are they doing?”

Before Ariel could answer, the mouth vibrated and rocked them all backwards. There was a loud groaning and Ariel’s eyes widened.

“As much as I’d love to go into a lengthy explanation about what’s really going on here, we need to get out  _ now _ ,” Ariel insisted.

“Why?” Amy wondered. “Where are we?” She asked, glancing around the mouth curiously.

The Doctor glanced at Ariel with an inquisitive frown, knowing her fear was born out of something they needed to address immediately. He glanced around the area and his eyes widened when he spotted the organic food discarded across the area and pressed his foot down to feel the spongy floor.

He turned to Ariel and raised an eyebrow and she nodded furiously. He inhaled sharply and pulled out his sonic, starting to scan the area and hopefully get them out before they were eaten.

“The floor’s all squidgy,” Amy remarked, stamping her foot on the floor. “Like a water bed.”

The Doctor looked at Ariel with wide eyes and she nodded to him to explain.

“Why do I have to do it?” The Doctor frowned, a small but adorable pout etching its way onto his lips.

“I always do the explaining!” Ariel exclaimed. 

“I answered all her questions about the Tardis,” the Doctor sighed.

“Well, you can tell her where we are as well,” Ariel smirked. “I just spend the last ten minutes walking around in this thing with no way out. Please, just give me this one.”

The Doctor watched her for a moment before sighing and nodding making Ariel grin.

“I love you,” she smiled.

“Yeah, course you do,” the Doctor groaned and Ariel laughed.

“It’s sort of rubbery,” Amy said, having ignored them and fallen to her hands and knees so she could feel the tongue. Ariel wanted to vomit at the very sight. “Feel it. Wet and slimy.”

“Er, it's not a floor, it's a,” the Doctor winced and glanced back at Ariel. “So,” he sighed.

“Go on,” Ariel nodded. “You can do it.”

“It’s a what?” Amy frowned.

“The next word is kind of a scary word,” the Doctor warned. “You probably want to take a moment, get yourself in a calm place. Go omm,” he instructed.

Amy glanced at Ariel with a frown, unsure if he was genuinely being serious and wanted her to say omm.

Ariel nodded. “Omm,” she said, waving Amy to follow along.

“Omm,” Amy hummed, unsure of where this was getting them.

“It’s a tongue,” the Doctor sighed.

“A tongue?” Amy repeated, silently hoping she hadn’t heard the Doctor correctly.

“A tongue!” The Doctor exclaimed, a grin slapped across his face as the fascination took over from his worry and concern. “A great big tongue!”

Ariel giggled at the sight of the Doctor dancing across the tongue. She always loved watching his worry wash away as he grew more interested than fearful of the situation at hand.

“This is a mouth,” Amy gasped, glancing at Ariel who only nodded confirming her fears. “This whole place is a mouth? We're in a mouth?!” She exclaimed.

“Yeah, and it’s minging,” Ariel winced, scrunching up her nose in a way that made the Doctor smile at the adorable little action.

“Yes, yes, yes,” the Doctor nodded. “But on the plus side, roomy,” he shrugged.

Ariel snorted, shaking her head at the Doctor. He was wonderful and somehow made all the fear she’d had when she first dropped down vanish from her mind. Though all that fear seemed to drop straight into Amy’s mind. 

“How do we get out?” Amy asked desperately.

“How big is this beastie?” The Doctor wondered, turning to Ariel and momentarily disregarding Amy’s concern.

“‘Bout as big as the ship,” Ariel shrugged.

“It's gorgeous,” the Doctor sighed. “Blimey, if this is just the mouth, I'd love to see the stomach,” he smiled.

As if in response to his wishes, the mouth vibrated and lurched the three of them again. Ariel’s smile fell and she stared at the Doctor with large eyes.

“Though not right now,” the Doctor mumbled.

“Doctor, how do we get out?” Amy repeated.

“Okay, it's being fed through surgically implanted feeder tubes, so I assume the normal entrance is closed for business?” The Doctor prompted, raising an eyebrow at Ariel.

“I already tried that,” Ariel nodded. “No dice,” she shrugged.

“We could try again, though,” Amy said. She ran forward, sloshing her way through the mouth to the row of teeth.

“No, stop, don’t move,” the Doctor instructed. He held up a hand and Amy’s eyes grew wide as the mouth vibrated again.

“The vibrations are getting shorter in between,” Ariel breathed. “But we’ve still got time,” she shrugged.

“No,” the Doctor shook his head. “It’s too late. It’s already started.”

“Of all the ways we’ve counted that we could be killed I’m fairly certain this is the worst,” Ariel winced.

“No, hold on, what’s started?” Amy frowned.

“Swallow reflex,” the Doctor said, his voice cracking as he spoke and looked back in the direction of where the throat would be.

“There must be something we can do,” Ariel sighed, marching up to the Doctor with large eyes.

“No, wait, hold on,” the Doctor nodded. He pulled out his sonic and began pointing it at the walls of the mouth.

“What are you doing?” Amy asked.

“I’m vibrating the chemo-receptors!” The Doctor announced.

“Hold on, I remember this one from bio,” Ariel frowned, grabbing the Doctor’s hand tightly as the vibrations continued. “Isn’t that the mouth’s-?”

“Eject button,” the Doctor nodded. “Yep!” 

“How does a mouth have an eject button?” Amy asked, frowning at the pair.

“Eugh, think about it!” Ariel winced, sincerely wishing she hadn’t asked. 

All of a sudden, a wave of vomit appeared from the dark area where the throat should lead. 

“Oh, God,” Ariel moaned.

“Right, then,” the Doctor sighed, taking a moment to straighten his bow tie. “This isn't going to be big on dignity. Geronimo!” He cried as Amy and Ariel simply screamed in the face of the vomit.

~~~

Ariel woke up coughing and gasping as the Doctor gently brushed the drenched brown hair out of her face.

“You’re alright,” the Doctor assured her. “You’re alright. I turned your back to the blast last minute. No concussion, no broken bones, none of the vomit in your face,” the Doctor nodded.

Ariel frowned and glanced at the ginger still unconscious by her side. “What about Amy?” She prompted.

“Ah, I only had the chance to turn you away,” the Doctor winced. “She’s got no concussion or broken bones either but she’ll be out for a bit more,” he shrugged before standing up and making his way to the door that lead into the small pipe like area they were in.

“Where are we?” Ariel frowned.

“Overflow pipe. Probably designed for cases like this when the creature didn’t eat the people forced into its mouth,” the Doctor shrugged before beginning to sonic the door.

Ariel nodded and turned, spotting the two smiling puppets in booths on the other side of the pipe and sighing.

“Doctor, I need to talk to you about Amy actually,” Ariel frowned. 

“Yes, what is it?” He prompted, far too immersed in his actions to look up at her which she was used to. He looked up if he deemed it serious. They were in a life or death situation and she wasn’t the type of person to demand that he look up when she talked to him.

“I’m sorry,” Ariel sighed.

The Doctor looked up at her with wide eyes and a small frown. “What for?” He wondered.

“I know that you know I was acting pretty jealous but I was just scared. I saw you laughing with Amy and I just thought you were going to trade me in for her and I was terrified. You’re the only family I have left and I didn’t want to lose you,” Ariel admitted.

“Ariel,” the Doctor sighed, smiling softly at her. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. When he pulled away he cupped her cheeks and grinned at her. “I would never want to trade you in. You’re all I have left,” the Doctor shrugged.

“You say that like losing me would leave you alone forever,” Ariel frowned.

“Wouldn’t it?” The Doctor sighed, turning back to the door as his smile fell.

Ariel sighed softly as she remembered Sarah Jane’s words.  _ You act like such a lonely man and yet you’ve got the biggest family on Earth.  _ Sarah was wrong. She knew that now. She was the only family he had left because that day when everyone else went home to their relatives or friends, she was the only one left. She was the only one who stood by day and night and never left his side unless he asked her to. If she left he truly would be alone. 

Nine hundred years of time and space and the only person the Doctor had was himself. 

All they had was each other and one day Ariel would have to leave him. Not because she wanted to but because she bore the illness of mortality. She was destined to lead a short life and leave the Doctor one day and he would be on his own again.

She sighed softly and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her forehead against his back. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “I’m not gonna leave you.”

The Doctor smiled softly and turned in her arms. He cupped her cheeks and gazed into her stormy grey eyes. “And I’ll never give you up,” he promised. 

He pressed his lips against hers, gently and uncaring of the alien vomit that coated both of their bodies making her smile.

As he pulled away, a small groan alerted them to Amy Pond waking up. 

Ariel smiled at the Doctor and gave him a quick nod, telling him she would handle it while he tried to get the door open. He nodded in return and she helped Amy to her feet.

“There's nothing broken, there's no sign of concussion and yes, you are covered in sick,” the Doctor informed her.

“Where are we?” Amy asked, clutching her head and wincing.

“The Doctor said it must be some sort of overflow pipe,” Ariel shrugged. “For when the creature gets sick.”

Amy nodded absentmindedly, glancing around and taking in her surroundings. She winced and crinkled her nose.

“Oh, God,” Amy breathed. “It stinks,” she said, waving her hand in front of her nose to get the smell away.

Ariel snorted and cast an amused glance at the Doctor who simply smiled.

“Er, Amy?” Ariel prompted. “That’s not the pipe,” she said, fighting back laughter. 

They all stunk there was no doubt about it.

“Oh,” Amy winced, casting a more than displeased glance at her attire. “Can we get out?” She asked, her shoes squelching as she walked over to the Doctor who slammed his sonic on the wall in response. “Er, I’ll take that as a no?” Amy frowned.

“Doctor,” Ariel breathed. She ran up to him and grabbed his hand, squeezing tightly to reassure him. 

“One door, one door switch, one condition,” the Doctor nodded, clenching his jaw and glaring at the door. “We forget everything we saw,” he hummed. “Look familiar?” He prompted, shooting daggers at Amy who just gulped harshly.

“That’s the carrot,” the Doctor said. 

Ariel’s eyes widened as the two smiling puppet booths on the other end of the pipe lit up. She tapped the Doctor’s wrist cautiously, never taking her eyes off the booths.

“Ooo, here’s the stick,” the Doctor hummed. He marched over to the booth and stared at the two Smilers inside it. “There's a creature living in the heart of this ship. What's it doing there?” The Doctor asked.

“I can answer that,” Ariel nodded, smiling as she realized she could give the Doctor the answer now.

However, at her words the Smilers turned into Frowners.

“Answer quickly,” the Doctor instructed.

“The creature, I forget the name Star-something, it’s carrying the ship. It’s the reason we never felt any engines. It’s the one moving the ship,” Ariel explained and the Doctor’s eyes widened.

“So, it’s keeping the ship in motion and anyone who protests gets shoved down its throat. That how it works?” The Doctor prompted, raising an eyebrow at the Frowners.

Their frowns turned to scowls with beady red eyes glowing out at the trio and the Doctor rolled his eyes.

“Oh, stop it,” the Doctor scoffed. “I'm not leaving and I'm not forgetting, and what are you fellows going to do about it? Stick out your tongues, huh?” He taunted.

All of a sudden, the booths opened and the Smilers stepped out towards the trio making all three jump back in shock.

“Or do that,” Ariel winced, shrugging slightly as she, the Doctor and Amy all took slow steps backwards keeping their eyes trained on the Smilers.

“Doctor?” Amy breathed, her voice betraying her fear.

Before the Doctor was forced to come up with a clever plan the could get them out of the mess, a figure marched up behind them and saved them.

“Duck!” The woman shouted and the Doctor pulled Ariel to the side while Amy jumped back and the woman shot both the Smilers in the chest. 

She spun her gun impressively before sticking it in her holster and Ariel grinned.

“I want one,” Ariel nodded. “Can we get me one?” She asked like a child begging for their favourite toy.

“No,” the Doctor said with large eyes. 

“You’re no fun,” Ariel pouted.

The Doctor just rolled his eyes, grinning at her and wrapping his arm around her. “Look who it is,” the Doctor hummed. “You look a lot better without your mask,” he remarked.

“A lot better,” Ariel smirked and the Doctor shot her a glare. “What? I’m looking not touching,” she sighed.

The Doctor snorted and rolled his eyes again.

“You must be Ariel,” the woman chuckled. “I’m Liz. Liz Ten,” she introduced, holding out a hand.

“Wait, you already know her?” Ariel frowned, turning back to the Doctor and ignoring the hand. 

Liz simply chuckled, shook her head and turned to introduce herself to Amy.

It was amusing to anyone who didn’t know the pair how ensnared they were in each other. They saw many attractive faces in their travels, even ones who were famed for their beauty and yet when it came down to it they always found themselves more entranced by each other than anything else. They could see a million pretty faces but at the end of the day they were tied to each other and would never let go.

“I met her looking for the engines,” the Doctor nodded.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Ariel wondered. Every time they parted on an adventure he always told her all that he had learned when they were separated and she did the same for him. It was how they grew so close. They didn’t harbor any secrets or leave out any detail.

“Didn’t get the chance to,” the Doctor shrugged. “We were on about what you found out while I was gone.”

“True,” Ariel sighed.

“You know Mandy, yeah?” Liz prompted, walking up to the door and wrapping her arm around the child who beamed up at her. “She’s very brave,” she hummed.

“Hold on, how did you find us?” The Doctor frowned. 

“Stuck my gizmo on you,” Liz shrugged, tossing him a small device which the Doctor narrowed his eyes at. “Been listening in. Nice moves on the hurl escape. So, what's the big fella doing here?” She asked.

The Doctor sighed and handed the gizmo to Ariel who proceeded to toy with it as he questioned Liz.

“You're over sixteen, you've voted. Whatever this is, you've chosen to forget about it,” the Doctor reminded her, accusation pulling at his tone.

“No,” Liz shook her head. “Never forgot, never voted, not technically a British subject,” she shrugged.

“Really?” Ariel frowned, placing the gizmo in the pocket of the Doctor’s suit.

“Then who and what are you, and how do you know me?” The Doctor asked.

“You're a bit hard to miss, love,” Liz grinned and Ariel smirked. “Mysterious stranger, M O consistent with higher alien intelligence, hair of an idiot,” she sighed.

“Oi, it’s not that bad,” Ariel frowned, brushing her hand through the Doctor’s wet hair while he pinkened. “Fourth face was a bit out there though,” she mumbled.

Liz just chuckled and shook her head. “I learned about you too,” she nodded and Ariel’s eyes widened. “I've been brought up on the stories. My whole family was,” she shrugged.

“Your family?” The Doctor frowned.

Before she could answer, the Smilers started whirring and they all glanced back with wide eyes understanding what the noises meant and not enjoying it in the slightest.

“They're repairing,” Liz sighed. “Doesn't take them long. Let's move,” she said, nodding them out another exit away from the one asking them to ‘forget’.

They marched through the sub basement and Liz broke into her explanation of just how she knew about the Doctor and who her family was.

“The Doctor,” Liz hummed. “Old drinking buddy of Henry Twelve. Tea and scones with Liz Two. Vicky was a bit on the fence about you, weren't she? Knighted and exiled you on the same day,” she smirked. “Though she did like you, didn’t she?” She prompted, glancing down at Ariel who grinned. “Albert too. You helped raise their kids after all,” she shrugged. 

“It was the least I could do,” Ariel smiled.

“Liz Ten,” the Doctor gasped with wide eyes. He glanced down at Ariel and nodded to the woman and it only took mere moments for Ariel to grasp what he was saying and for her heart to stop.

“No,” Ariel breathed.

“Liz Ten, yeah,” Liz nodded. “Elizabeth the Tenth. And down!” She barked and the Doctor wrapped his arm around Ariel, pulling her to the ground with him while Mandy and Amy ducked as well.

Liz shot the Smilers that had repaired themselves and grinned when they fell to the ground. Liz held up both her guns and smirked at the four of them.

“I'm the bloody Queen, mate. Basically, I rule,” Liz said.

Ariel beamed up at her. “I like her,” she nodded as the Doctor chuckled and helped her off the ground, taking her hand in his. “I like her a lot,” she sighed.

“Gotta say, I like you too,” Liz smirked. “Read in Vicky’s diaries about your work with the Weeping Angels. It’s impressive,” she hummed.

“Oh, I was hardly the only one on that. I had the Doctor feeding me information about them the entire time. It was a bit mind numbing to have to run back to the Tardis every time so the time lines didn’t cross,” she sighed.

“Better than having her meet me ten years too early,” the Doctor reminded her and Ariel sighed but nodded. “Now, just where are you taking us?” He asked Liz as she opened up the door to a narrow corridor and lead them through.

“There's a high-speed Vator through there,” Liz said and began marching away when the Doctor was distracted by a few tentacles banging against what looked like a prison door. “Oh, yeah. There's these things. Any ideas?” She prompted the couple.

“I know what it is,” Ariel nodded. “I chose protest.”

“You did?” Liz said with wide eyes. “Then you’re invaluable to me. What do you know?”

“I know that this creature is the reason we’re still flying,” Ariel nodded. “It was captured and the city was built around it. It’s leading some awful half life being stabbed with feeding tubes and forced to keep moving constantly but anyone who protests is shot down into its mouth and never to be seen again,” she sighed and Liz’s eyes grew large. She clenched her jaw in fury at the very thought.

“Someone’s doing this. Feeding it,” Liz scowled. “Feeding my subjects to it!” She barked, marching away from them a new fury thrumming through her veins. “Come on. Got to keep moving,” she instructed them.

Mandy and Amy followed but the Doctor and Ariel lagged behind, staring at the tentacles with sad eyes.

“Is that all true?” The Doctor mumbled.

“Yeah,” Ariel nodded. “Though I’m not sure I got the full story even in the voting cubicle. There seemed to be a lot of holes in what he was telling me and I think after all this time even the people don’t know the truth.”

“Ari, I need you to tell me the whole story. Now,” the Doctor insisted with a nod. “The story as you know it.”

Ariel took a deep breath and nodded. “Alright, when they left the planet it's like you said. People who were poor and unable to immediately get their own ship and flee had to say. Some of the British monarchy remained to try and figure out a way to help them and save their people. Then the creature this ship is built on came and they captured it, built the city on it and flew the people to safety. Now, they said the only thing keeping this ship afloat is them keeping the creature in line and until a full 1% of the population protests those who are alone will keep being fed to it.”

“That’s it?” The Doctor implored.

“Yeah, why?” Ariel frowned. “What do you think this is going to come to?” She asked, knowing he was already thinking ahead to that point.

“I’m worried it may end in this creature dying,” the Doctor mumbled. Before he could elaborate, he clenched his jaw and marched away, grabbing Ariel’s hand and following the group.

Ariel looked up at him with sad eyes. He didn’t deserve to have more blood on his hands. He didn’t need more of that weight weighing him down. She took a deep breath and decided within the confines of her own mind that if it came to killing she would be the one to pull the trigger, not him. He didn’t need more dead bodies on his conscious.

They marched down the corridor, arm in arm following after Liz Ten while the Doctor recounted stories of her ancestors for the moment taking everybody’s minds off the problem at hand. Entirely welcome when they realized they didn’t know just who or what they would be facing when they found out just who was keeping these things hidden from the Queen herself.

Eventually, they headed back into her room where dozens of water glasses were laid out on the floor as well as a chandelier barely even rattling by their side. 

Amy and Ariel took a moment to clean up their hair from the alien sick while Liz fell back on her bed and the Doctor peered around the water glasses.

“So, you were jealous, were you?” Amy smirked and Ariel’s eyes widened.

“What, you heard that?” Ariel frowned. 

“Only you admitting you were jealous. I was in and out for a bit before I got up,” Amy shrugged.

Ariel chuckled and nodded, bowing her head at the indirect confession. “After you got back in the Tardis when we came here and had your arms wrapped around the Doctor I got sort of jealous,” she shrugged.

“Oh, that?” Amy frowned. “I doubt I was even thinking about that,” she scoffed.

“I get that now,” Ariel nodded. “I guess I just get jealous too easily. The Doctor does too. Maybe, that’s why we’re so good together,” she mumbled with a soft smile. “We can’t get mad at each other for our jealousy because we both do the same thing.’

Amy nodded and tied her hair up. “Well, if it helps, I’m not mad at you for it.”

“Thanks,” Ariel smiled. “It’d be a bit rubbish if we hated each other right at the start of our travelling together,” she mumbled.

Amy chuckled and nodded. “That’s true.”

Ariel smiled and turned back to the Doctor once all the sick had been combed out of her hair.

“Secrets are being kept from me,” Liz muttered, shooting daggers at the wall as though they were the government hiding from her. “I don't have a choice. Ten years I've been at this. My entire reign. And the pair of you've achieved more in one afternoon.”

Ariel took the Doctor’s hand and he smiled softly as he passed the Queen’s porcelain mask to her while narrowing his eyes at Liz.

“How old were you when you came to the throne?” The Doctor wondered.

“Forty,” Liz shrugged. “Why?”

“What, and you’re fifty now?” Amy frowned, turning back to them. “No way,” she scoffed.

“She’s right,” Ariel nodded. “For fifty you’re looking bloody good,” she smiled and Liz blushed. 

“They slowed my body clock,” Liz smiled. “Keeps me looking like the stamps.”

“Hold on, this doesn’t have a wire or anything,” Ariel mumbled. “It’s perfectly sculpted to your face,” she frowned, holding up the mask as though comparing.

The Doctor nodded, gesturing to Ariel that there was more to this. “And do you always wear this in public?” He prompted, gesturing to the mask.

“Undercover's not easy when you're me,” Liz sighed. “The autographs, the bunting,” she shrugged.

“It’s porcelain though,” Ariel mumbled with a small frown. Porcelain wasn’t easy to keep for ages. It cracked. It wore down. It showed its age. The porcelain mask in Ariel’s hands did just that.

“Yeah,” the Doctor nodded. “Are you getting it?”

“I think so,” Ariel said, nodding as well.

“Good,” the Doctor smiled. “Air-balanced porcelain,” he hummed, taking the mask from her hands and walking over to Liz, holding it up to her face. “Stays on by itself, because it's perfectly sculpted to your face.”

“Yeah?” Liz frowned, unsure of what they were figuring out that she had been left out on. “So what?” She shrugged.

“Oh, Liz,” the Doctor sighed. “So everything.”

“Every little variable counts, Liz,” Ariel nodded, walking over to the Doctor and wrapping her arm around his shoulders while he sat on the bed.

The Doctor smiled up at her but before they could begin explaining what they had worked out to Liz, a group of men in black hoods like the ones that had taken Ariel and Amy to the voting cubicles walked in. 

The Doctor hopped up and wrapped his arm around Ariel’s shoulders, pulling her close to his body as he did so.

“What are you doing?!” Liz snapped, her eyes wind at the sight of people barging into her room uninvited. “How dare you come in here?”

“Ma'am, you have expressed interest in the interior workings of Starship UK. You will come with us now,” the man instructed.

“Why would I do that?” Liz wondered, tilting her head curiously at the idea.

The men’s faces shifted and spun to reveal the mechanical Scowler behind their ordinary human faces.

“Blimey,” Ariel frowned. “That reminds me of Professor Quirrell and Voldemort!” Ariel gasped, her eyes wide as the Doctor laughed at the very idea that when faced with a threat her first instinct was to think of Harry Potter.

“How can they be Smilers?” Amy wondered, staring at the men who had all shifted into Scowlers with a frown.

“Half Smiler, half human,” the Doctor sighed.

“How are they even created?” Ariel mumbled, narrowing her eyes at the Scowler curiously stepping forward to get a better look at just how realistic the human face was behind the hood.

“Whatever you creatures are, I am still your queen,” Liz said. “On whose authority is this done?” She asked furiously.

“The highest authority, Ma’am,” the robotic voice replied.

“I am the highest authority!” Liz snapped and the Doctor and Ariel shared a wide eyed gaze, the pieces of the puzzle beginning to fall into place.

“Yes, ma'am. You must go now, Ma'am,” the Scowler said.

“Where?” Liz asked. 

“The Tower, Ma’am.”

Liz inhaled sharply and glanced back at the Doctor and Ariel who both nodded to her. 

“Do it,” the Doctor said. “They’ll be taking you to show what’s happening with this creature.”

“Alright,” Liz nodded. “But all of you are coming with me,” she said.

“Ma’am, I highly advise-,” the Scowler began.

“Zip it!” Liz snapped. “They come with me or I don’t go at all.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” the Scowler said. It bowed its head, stepping to the side while the other Scowlers began marching out of the room to guide the group to the Tower.

They headed to the tower in silence, all unaware and cautious of what they may be stepping into when they reached their destination.

The Smilers lead them through the doors and Ariel winced at the very sight of the room they were being guided into. Despite them being in the future Ariel couldn’t help but feel as though she had been tossed into the 18th century when looking at the state of the dungeon.

Beneath a barred section of the ground there were more tentacles flailing and hitting the metal desperately.

Ariel met the Doctor’s fury at the sight with large eyes. She knew what he was thinking in that moment because she had seen that anger before. When they were with the Ood she saw his rage and regret about what they were being faced with and now when he got another opportunity to help he didn’t even know if he would be able to stop the abuse.

A few feet away, there was a small circular enclosed area where some sort of laser was firing measured shots at something they couldn’t see but could easily but could easily guess what it was.

“Doctor, where are we?” Amy wondered, frowning at her surroundings.

“The lowest point of Starship UK,” the Doctor muttered, scowling at the area.

“The dungeon,” Ariel sighed, glancing around in what almost mirrored exhaustion. She loved traveling with the Doctor, but moments like these made her faith in humanity waver. If they could do things like this why did they deserve the advancements yet to come for their race?

A man stepped forward with grey hair and a black hood similar to the men that were half Smiler half human.

“Ma’am,” the man said, nodding in the presence of the Queen.

“Hawthorne. So this is where you hid yourself away,” Liz hummed “I think you’ve got some explaining to do.”

Before he could even begin, a line of children started marching past them and the Doctor and Ariel spun around, frowning curiously at the little kids.

“There’s children in here,” the Doctor observed, patting the head of one of the children that passed affectionately. “What’s all that about?”

“Protesters and citizens of limited value are fed to the beast. For some reason, it won't eat the children,” Hawthorne shrugged.

“Yeah, ten guesses why it won’t eat little kids,” Ariel scoffed, watching the little kids being put to work in the dungeon with a deep scowl.

“Regardless, you're the first adults it's spared. You're very lucky,” Hawthorne remarked.

“Yeah, look at us,” the Doctor sneered. “Torture chamber of the Tower of London. Lucky, lucky, lucky. Except it's not a torture chamber, is it? Well, except it is. Except it isn't. Depends on your angle,” he shrugged. He grabbed Ariel’s hand and pulled her over to the enclosed circular area and revealed a large brain being shot at with the laser.

“This is horrid,” Ariel winced.

“What is it?” Liz frowned.

“Well, like I say, it depends on the angle,” the Doctor nodded. “It's either the exposed pain centre of big fella's brain, being tortured relentlessly,” he breathed, obviously believing that far more than the ladder he was about to present.

“Or?” Liz prompted.

“Or it's the gas pedal, the accelerator. Starship UK's go faster button,” the Doctor snapped.

“You gain control over this bloody ship by increasing your torture,” Ariel muttered, clenching her jaw and glaring at Hawthorne.

“This creature, this poor, trapped, terrified creature,” the Doctor hummed. “Is what you have instead of an engine. And this place down here is where you hurt it, where you torture it, day after day, just to keep it moving. Tell you what. Normally, it's above the range of human hearing. This is the sound none of you wanted to hear.”

The Doctor grabbed Ariel’s hand and ran over to the caged area of the floor where the creature’s tentacles continued to slam. He pulled the caging off and the tentacle stretched itself up tall above all of them. The Doctor pulled out his sonic and squeezed Ariel’s hand once before sonicing an escaped tentacle and allowing all of them to hear the terrified screams of the creature just beneath their feet.

Ariel winced but she never turned away as Amy and Liz did. After hearing the Ood song of captivity it was hard to turn away from the cries of a creature in pain. 

“Stop it!” Liz exclaimed, covering her ears as tears flooded her amber eyes. “Who did this?” She gasped, directing her attention to Hawthorne once again.

“We act on instructions from the highest authority,” Hawthorne said, unfazed by the sound of the creature in pain.

“I am the highest authority!” Liz snapped and the Doctor and Ariel shared a sad but knowing look. “The creature will be released, now. I said now! Is anyone listening to me?” She frowned, spinning around to see nobody moving upon her command.

“Liz,” the Doctor sighed. “Your mask,” he reminded her.

“What about my mask?” Liz frowned, shaking her head aimlessly.

“Remember how I said nothing was unimportant?” Ariel implored, raising an eyebrow.

“Look at it,” the Doctor nodded. “It's old. At least two hundred years old, I'd say,” he guessed.

“Maybe, even more,” Ariel mumbled.

“Yeah?” Liz shrugged. “It’s an antique. So?”

“Yeah, an antique made by craftsmen over two hundred years ago and perfectly sculpted to your face,” the Doctor hummed. “They slowed your body clock, all right, but you're not fifty. Nearer three hundred. And it's been a long old reign,” he said.

Liz shook her head, stepping back from the couple and frowning. “Nah, it's ten years. I've been on this throne ten years,” she insisted.

“Yes, you have,” Ariel agreed, nodding along with her. “It’s been ten years.”

“And the same ten years, over and over again, always leading you here,” the Doctor said. The Doctor grabbed Liz’s arm with his other hand and lead them all around a corner to a small computer screen.

In front of the computer there were two buttons, ‘Forget’, and ‘Abdicate’.

Liz stared at it with large eyes before turning to Hawthorne, her voice broken and child-like when she spoke. “What have you done?” She gasped.

“Only what you have ordered,” Hawthorne nodded. “We work for you, Ma'am. The Winders, the Smilers, all of us,” he shrugged. He pressed a button at the top of the screen and the image flickered before turning on and revealing an image of Liz sitting before the screen likely two-hundred years earlier.

Liz took a seat before the screen, her eyes fixated on her younger self. “If you are watching this. If I am watching this, then I have found my way to the Tower Of London. The creature you are looking at is called a Star Whale. Once, there were millions of them. They lived in the depths of space and, according to legend, guided the early space travellers through the asteroid belts. This one, as far as we are aware, is the last of its kind. And what we have done to it breaks my heart. The Earth was burning. Our sun had turned on us and every other nation had fled to the skies. Our children screamed as the skies grew hotter. And then it came, like a miracle. The last of the Star Whales. We trapped it, we built our ship around it, and we rode on its back to safety. If you wish our voyage to continue, then you must press the Forget button. Be again the heart of this nation, untainted. If not, press the other button. Your reign will end, the Star Whale will be released, and our ship will disintegrate. I hope I keep the strength to make the right decision,” the younger Liz pleaded.

Ariel scowled and turned away. She didn’t blame the Liz sitting before them but at least they now knew the origin of this. The younger Liz had decided to trust the word of men who were likely relying on word of mouth to understand what to do with the Star Whale and because of it they were feeding innocent people to it and torturing it.

“I voted for this,” Amy breathed. “Why would I do that?” She wondered.

“Hell, if I know,” Ariel sighed. 

“Oh, I do,” the Doctor nodded. “You didn’t vote for it because you knew better, but you,” the Doctor hummed, rounding on Amy. “You knew if we stayed here, I'd be faced with an impossible choice. Humanity or the alien. You took it upon yourself to save me from that. And that was wrong. You don't ever decide what I need to know,” he said. 

“I don’t even remember doing it,” Amy frowned, unsure of why he was getting angry with her. So, she had made a mistake. She didn’t know as Ariel did not to try and protect him from certain information. She didn’t know that she couldn’t stop him from having to face things such as this.

“You did it,” the Doctor mumbled. “That’s what counts.”

Amy glanced at the couple, desperately trying to make them see that she didn’t know what she was doing but when Ariel hung her head and turned away she knew she was on her own in this one. 

“I-I’m sorry,” Amy breathed.

“Oh, I don't care,” the Doctor hissed. “When I'm done here, you're going home,” he said, storming away to the controls.

“Doctor,” Ariel sighed, marching after him. “She didn’t know better.”

“Well, I’m not going to waste my time teaching her,” the Doctor snapped. “She made a decision that impacts thousands of lives I’m not just going to forget that.”

“But I chose to protest!” Ariel exclaimed. “You got the information they gave us either way. Isn’t that enough?”

“Not when I could’ve had the full story from both of you as soon as possible,” the Doctor said and Ariel bowed her head in acceptance of that fact. “Like it or not, we’re taking her home after this.”

“Why? Because I made a mistake? One mistake? I don't even remember doing it. Doctor!” Amy demanded, slamming her hands down on the controls.

“Don’t!” Ariel snapped, grabbing Amy’s hands and glaring at her. “If you want to stay then you don’t meet his anger with your own. It helps nobody.”

“Well, what am I supposed to do?” Amy wondered. “I made a mistake. I screwed up. I can’t promise I won’t make mistakes,” she sighed.

“Yeah, I know,” the Doctor sighed, glaring at Amy. “You’re only human,” he said, stating her species as though it were an insult.

Ariel took a deep breath and walked over to his side. He kept fidgeting with the controls and she swatted his hand away.

“Let me,” Ariel requested and the Doctor’s eyes grew wide.

“No,” the Doctor breathed. He couldn’t let her carry that weight and just standby. He couldn’t do that to her.

“You don’t deserve to do this,” Ariel said.

The Doctor stared at Ariel, his eyes screaming that he wouldn’t back away and wouldn’t let her do this. Ariel met him with the same expression.

Eventually, she sighed and shook her head. “Look, either we do this together or nothing gets done, Doctor.”

The Doctor took a deep breath and nodded. “Alright,” he conceded. “Together.”

“What are you doing?” Liz frowned at the pair.

“The worst thing I'll ever do,” the Doctor sighed. “I'm going to pass a massive electrical charge through the Star Whale's brain. Should knock out all its higher functions, leave it a vegetable. The ship will still fly, but the whale won't feel it.”

“That’ll be killing it,” Amy frowned.

“Got any better options?” Ariel scoffed, leaning over the Doctor to rewire some controls. 

“Look, three options,” the Doctor said. “One, I let the Star Whale continue in unendurable agony for hundreds more years. Two, I kill everyone on this ship. Three, I murder a beautiful, innocent creature as painlessly as I can. And then I find a new name, because I won't be the Doctor any more,” he sighed.

Ariel dropped the wires in her hand and placed her hand on the Doctor’s arm gently. She knew nothing she could say or do could repair the self hate the Doctor was about to endure but a small physical comfort was better than nothing.

“There must be something we can do, some other way,” Liz insisted.

“There isn’t,” Ariel said, shaking her head. She could assure them all that ever since she had seen that video she had been trying to work out every scenario to save the ship, even considering bringing everyone onto the Tardis, but it just wouldn’t work. Even if they could manage to get an entire population onto the Tardis without anybody going mad at the sight of the large interior, they’d have nowhere to put them without immediately overpopulating some other ship or planet. 

“Nobody talk to me,” the Doctor muttered. “Nobody human has anything to say to me today!” He barked.

Liz and Amy jumped back and Ariel spun to the front of the Doctor while he just glared at her. She recognized the look in his eyes. It was the same one he bore when he was pointing a gun at the Lord President of Gallifrey and his best friend.  Anger was driving him. Anger, pain and exhaustion. He was an old man, there was no denying and she knew there were times when he just wanted to do what needed to be done and deal with his regret on his own terms. He didn’t want to take the time to dwell over the question of his own morality in the face of what had to be done.

“Doctor,” Ariel breathed. “You’re not doing this alone,” she reminded him.

“That doesn’t change the fact that we’re killing the last of this species,” the Doctor hissed. 

“And you’re just gonna shoulder all the blame because of that,” Ariel nodded. “Is that how we’re doing this?”

“You need to move, I-,” the Doctor began, brushing past her to continue rewiring the controls.

“No, wait,” Ariel frowned, grabbing his wrist and turning her to him once again. “I love you, Doctor and you need to accept that you are not alone anymore. We’ve both got this on our hands. You’re not some lonely monster because I’ve got blood on my hands too. This is not just your burden to carry,” Ariel insisted.

The Doctor frowned at her as her words slowly processed in his mind. Once he finally realized the weight behind them, the clouds shielding his brilliant green eyes cleared and his face fell.

“I’m sorry,” he breathed and Ariel smiled.

“It’s okay,” Ariel nodded, understanding why he had lost himself in what was being done and refusing to see clarity. 

He pulled her into a tight hug and kissed her forehead gently.

Nine hundred years of time and space on your own, you would sometimes forget that you’re not all alone anymore. She knew that one day she would have to leave the Doctor’s side, but until that day came he wouldn’t have to be alone. Not anymore.

All of a sudden, Amy jumped up her eyes large as she did so. Ariel and the Doctor continued to work but Ariel passed a frown in the direction of the redhead.

“Doctor, Ariel, stop,” Amy snapped. “Whatever you're doing, stop it now!” She yelled.

Ariel pulled away and stopped her actions but the Doctor simply huffed and continued working.

“Sorry, Your Majesty,” Amy sighed, marching over to Liz and grabbing her hand.  “Going to need a hand.”

“Doctor!” Ariel exclaimed, watching Amy’s actions with large eyes.

“Amy, no!” The Doctor bellowed, grabbing Ariel’s hand and running forward toward the ginger. “No!”

“Amy, don’t!” Ariel cried but before they could stop her Amy slammed Liz’s hand down on the button marked ‘Abdicate’.

The Star Whale roared at its release and the ship lurched throwing everyone backwards. Ariel was tossed straight back into the Doctor’s arms and he clung to her tightly while the ship shook and sped forward.

Once they all grew accustomed to the speed, the Doctor pulled Ariel to her feet with a sigh and turned to glare at Amy.

“Amy, what have you done?” The Doctor gasped.

“Nothing at all,” Amy shrugged, a large grin painted across her lips. “Am I right?” She prompted, turning to Hawthorne who was monitoring the ship on some computers on a back walls.

“We’ve increased speed,” Hawthorne frowned.

“Yeah, well, you've stopped torturing the  _ pilot _ ,” Amy smirked. “Got to help.”

“There were holes in the story,” Ariel remembered, her tone breathy as she spoke with a small frown.

“It’s still here,” Liz breathed. “I don’t understand.”

“The Star Whale didn't come like a miracle all those years ago. It volunteered. You didn't have to trap it or torture it. That was all just you. It came because it couldn't stand to watch your children cry. What if you were really old, and really kind and alone? Your whole race dead. No future. What couldn't you do then? If you were that old, and that kind, and the very last of your kind, you couldn't just stand there and watch children cry,” Amy smiled, casting her gaze back at the Doctor who stared at the ground with large eyes.

“Amy,” Ariel grinned. “You’re brilliant!” She exclaimed. She ran forward and pulled the ginger into a tight hug and she simply laughed and hugged the brunette in return. 

“Well, you did tell me to notice everything,” Amy reminded her and Ariel giggled and nodded.

“That you did,” Ariel hummed.

~~~

A few hours later, Ariel and the Doctor stood on the observation deck looking out at the stars across the sky.

“You were so willing to help me kill the Star Whale,” the Doctor mumbled. “Why?” He wondered.

“If it were me, would you allow me to carry the weight of killing a creature that was the last of its kind on my own?” Ariel prompted and immediately the Doctor shook his head. “Exactly,” she smiled. 

“The girl fated to destroy time,” the Doctor hummed.

“What is it?” Ariel implored, raising an eyebrow at the Doctor. 

“Prisoner Zero said you weren’t acting alone,” he remembered. “That I helped you.”

“What, you think that’s actually going to happen?” Ariel frowned. “You think that’s what we’re headed towards.”

“I don’t know,” the Doctor admitted. “And right now I don’t like not knowing.”

Rather than further guess what the future had in store for them, the Doctor just sighed softly and wrapped his arm around Ariel, pulling her close to his chest.

Amy stepped up behind them and held out Liz’s mask with a soft smile. “From Her Majesty. She says there will be no more secrets on Starship UK,” she sighed.

The Doctor didn’t take the mask. Instead, he narrowed his eyes at Amy. “Amy, you could have killed everyone on this ship.”

“And you two could have killed a Star Whale,” Amy nodded.

“And you saved it,” the Doctor sighed. “I know, I know,” he nodded.

“You were incredible, Amy,” Ariel smiled. “Really.”

Amy grinned at her and turned to look at the stars through the observation deck. “Amazing though, don't you think?” She prompted. “The Star Whale. All that pain and misery and loneliness, and it just made it kind,” she hummed and Ariel beamed up at the Doctor.

“But you couldn’t have known how it would react,” the Doctor frowned.

Ariel scoffed and rolled her eyes, understanding what Amy was getting at even if the Doctor didn’t.

“You couldn't,” Amy shrugged. “But I've seen it before. Very old and very kind, and the very, very last. Sound a bit familiar?” She said and the Doctor grinned.

He removed his arm from where it had been wrapped around Ariel and pulled Amy into a hug while Ariel beamed at the pair.

She wasn’t sure where the future would bring them, but she did know one thing for sure: Amy was turning out to be just what they needed on the Tardis.

~~~

Ariel the Doctor and Amy all walked through London Market back to the Tardis. Ariel and the Doctor’s hands were joined, swinging together giddily like school children.

“Shouldn't we say goodbye?” Amy frowned, glancing behind them curiously. “Won't they wonder where we went?”

“For the rest of their lives,” the Doctor nodded. “Oh, the songs they'll write,” he hummed. “Never mind them. Big day tomorrow.”

Amy stopped in her tracks and glanced at Ariel with wide eyes. Did she tell him?

“Sorry, what?” Amy prompted, crossing her fingers inside her mind and praying she didn’t say anything.

“Well, it's always a big day tomorrow,” the Doctor shrugged. “We've got a time machine. I skip the little ones.”

“Which are apparently always Sundays,” Ariel giggled.

“Oh, Sundays are boring,” the Doctor moaned. “Nothing good ever happens on a Sunday,” he sighed.

Amy let out a deep breath and nodded, unsure of why she had assumed Ariel would tell the Doctor. She didn’t seem the type to break a promise so quickly.

“You know what I said about getting back for tomorrow morning?” Amy mumbled, shifting uncomfortably. Ariel’s eyes widened as she realized what the ginger was about to tell the Doctor. “Have you ever run away from something because you were scared, or not ready, or just, just because you could?” She wondered.

The Doctor chuckled and hung his head, the memory of that day still very clear in his mind. “Once, a long time ago,” the Doctor nodded.

“What happened?” Amy asked.

“Made him into the man you see today,” Ariel smiled.

“Hello,” the Doctor waved, grinning as well.

Amy sighed and shook her head. Of course, she should have known. “Right,” she nodded, before sucking in a deep breath. “Doctor, there's something I haven't told you,” she mumbled before she narrowed her eyes at a soft sound coming from within the Tardis. “No, hang on. Is that a phone ringing?” She frowned.

The Doctor simply grinned, grabbed Ariel’s hand and swung the door open for them to run through. 

The Doctor made his way straight to the console to start up the engines while Ariel plopped down in the jumpseat and Amy stood by the ringing phone on the console with large eyes.

“People phone you?” Amy frowned.

“Well, it’s a phone box,” the Doctor shrugged. “Would you mind?” He prompted.

The Doctor nodded for her to answer the phone and, hesitating only briefly, Amy picked up the phone and answered.

“Hello?” Amy said, her eyes wide as she spoke to the individual on the other end of the phone. “Sorry, who? No, seriously, who? Says he's the Prime Minister. First the Queen, now the Prime Minister. Get about, don't you?” Amy sighed, holding out the phone to the Doctor. 

Ariel walked up to the Doctor’s side with a smile and he flashed a quick grin at her before turning to Amy.

“Which Prime Minister?” The Doctor wondered, not bothering to take the phone until he got a name.

“Er, which Prime Minister?” Amy asked, pressing the phone to her ear once again. “The British one,” she offered, attempting to pass the phone to the Doctor.

“Which British one?” Ariel asked, shaking her head aimlessly. They had all of time to travel in that box. The British Prime Minister could have meant quite literally anybody.

Amy seemed to realize this because she nodded and pulled the phone back to her ear. “Which British one?” She repeated. Her eyes grew wide at the name the voice on the other line said and she held out the phone to the Doctor and Ariel with shaky hands. “Winston Churchill for you,” she breathed, her mind not seeming to grasp the words she spoke.

“Oh!” The Doctor exclaimed, a large grin slapping itself across his face as he grabbed the phone and held it out so he and Ariel could hear.

“I’ve missed him,” Ariel smiled. She had only met Winston Churchill a few times and far less than the Doctor had met him. Still, she remembered when she and the Doctor had to face the Sontarans with him like it was yesterday. 

“Yeah,” the Doctor nodded, grinning at her. “Hello, dear,” the Doctor said into the phone. “What’s up?”

“Tricky situation, Doctor,” Winston hummed. “Potentially very dangerous. I think I'm going to need you.”

“Don’t worry about a thing, Prime Minister,” the Doctor said, pulling a lever and starting up the time rotors. “We’re on our way,” he promised.

“See you soon, Winston!” Ariel called into the phone before the Doctor hung it up and smirked at Amy.

“So, fancy a trip to the second World War?” The Doctor prompted, raising an eyebrow at Amy.

“You two know Winston Churchill?” Amy frowned.

“Oh, he knows him far better than I do, but yeah,” Ariel nodded. “He once had to splash him with cold water to stop him from lighting some Sontaran grenades.”

“They were disguised as Cuban anybody could have made the mistake,” the Doctor shrugged.

“You two are absolutely mad,” Amy sighed.

“That’s us,” Ariel grinned. “Now, come on. We’ve got to save Winston Churchill.”


	9. The Daleks In War

“Please don’t tell me we’ve landed in winter again,” Ariel winced as she pulled her hair up partially behind her. “I hated that last time it just felt so miserable.”

“No, no,” the Doctor hummed. “We’ve landed mid autumn I believe.”

“Brilliant,” Ariel smiled. 

“Amy, come on, we’re going!” The Doctor called. 

Amy ran out in a new outfit and clean hair and Ariel smirked at her.

“Doesn’t it feel so much better to be out of that nightie?” Ariel prompted.

“And to not be covered in alien sick, yeah,” Amy nodded and Ariel laughed. 

“Let’s go,” the Doctor smiled, holding out his arm to Ariel who looped her own through his happily. “I’ve been missing Winston ever since the Sontarans. I caught him once post war but we didn’t get much time to chat,” he frowned.

“Where was I during this?” Ariel wondered. She didn’t remember ever having met Winston after the war.

“Oh, you were with Alan Turing,” the Doctor sighed. “Remember you said you wanted to see him before the medication got the better of him?” He prompted.

“Oh, yeah,” Ariel said, her face falling at the memory. “Maybe, if we get the chance I could pop by again. He won’t remember me but it’s worth a chat. Broke my heart last time catching him when his hands were shaking and he couldn’t pour a cup of tea right,” she sighed.

“Ah, the world is a cruel place to anyone who’s different,” the Doctor mumbled. “No matter how brilliant they may be.”

“What are you talking about?” Amy frowned. “What happened?”

The Doctor narrowed his eyes at her lack of memory but shook his head, disregarding the idea for the moment.

“Alan Turing helped win the war and created computers,” Ariel said. “However, right after he won the war he was put on medication because he was gay and ultimately killed himself.”

“That’s horrible,” Amy frowned.

“Yeah,” Ariel sighed. “That’s what I love about traveling. You can go into history and offer some solace to the people who shouldn’t have died. Granted, you can’t reach everyone but if you can be kind to at least one person like him then it’s worth it,” she smiled.

The Doctor beamed down at her. That was what he loved about Ariel more than anything. She had done things she hated and things that people could use to make her out as an awful human being, but at the end of the day she had more love and affection in her heart than he could muster in both of his. 

Rather than seeing time travel as an opportunity to meet brilliant people from history and see what the future could be, she thought of it as a chance to help people who the world had turned away from. She saw it as a chance to be a comfort to those who lacked in their lives. She had her faults, sure, but as a whole Ariel Parsons was a brilliant woman.

The Doctor took a deep breath and turned to the door, he gently tapped Ariel and raised an eyebrow silently asking if she was ready to head out and she simply grinned and nodded.

The Doctor tiptoed out of the Tardis and the second the door creaked open they spotted three rifles being lifted up and aimed at all three of them.

“Oh, blimey,” Ariel frowned at the three soldiers.

Fortunately, before the soldiers could shoot, Winston Churchill stepped forward with a cigar dangling from his lips and a large grin.

“Winston!” Ariel exclaimed. She ran forward and wrapped the man in a hug while he chuckled deeply. 

“Amy?” The Doctor prompted, smiling at Winston and Ariel. “Winston Churchill,” he introduced.

Winston pulled out of Ariel’s arms and stared at the Doctor with wide eyes. “Doctor,” Winston gasped. “Is it you?”

“It is,” Ariel nodded. She walked back over to the Doctor’s side and he immediately wrapped his arms around her as if on instinct, hardly even looking away from Winston as he did so because it just came naturally whenever she was nearby to pull her close to him.

Winston chuckled and grinned at the pair. “Oh, I should know,” Winston hummed. “I’ve only ever seen one pairing as close as the two of you,” he nodded and the couple smiled.

“Winston,” the Doctor sighed. “My old friend.”

He held out his hand to shake Winston’s but rather than reciprocate, Winston simply waved his hand, outstretching it and waiting for the Doctor to drop a very specific item in it.

“Ah, every time,” the Doctor laughed.

“What’s he after?” Amy frowned.

“Tardis key, of course,” the Doctor sighed. “Ariel, close the door?” He requested.

Ariel nodded and stepped out of the Doctor’s arms to close the door tightly behind them, ensuring Winston couldn’t get in.

“Think of what I could achieve with your remarkable machine, Doctor,” Winston sighed. “The lives that could be saved.”

“Ah, doesn’t work like that,” the Doctor said, shaking his head.

“You know we can’t just let you take the Tardis, Winston,” Ariel reminded him. 

“Must I take it by force?” Winston implored, raising an eyebrow at the couple.

“I’d like to see you try,” the Doctor hummed, smirking at Winston.

The men glared at each other for what lasted only a moment before Winston laughed and shook his head.

“At ease,” Winstone instructed the soldiers, pushing the rifles they still had raised down.

The Doctor simply grinned in response. “You rang?” He prompted.

Winston nodded and walked them past the soldiers to a lengthy corridor. 

“So, you’ve changed your face again,” Winston observed. “I don’t think I’ve seen you and Miss Parsons together with a different face,” he remarked.

“Yeah, well, I had a bit of work done,” the Doctor shrugged and Ariel chuckled as he wrapped his arm around her.

“Hold on, got it, got it, got it!” Amy exclaimed. “Cabinet War Rooms, right?” She guessed.

“Yep. Top secret heart of the War Office, right under London,” the Doctor nodded.

“Last time we were here it seemed bigger,” Ariel frowned, spinning around as she looked at the corridor.

“You’re late, by the way,” Winston said.

Before he could elaborate, one of the women walked up to Winston with a clipboard and pen. 

“Requisitions, sir,” she said.

“Excellent,” Winston smiled. He scribbled something quickly on the clipboard before handing it back to the woman.

“Late?” The Doctor implored.

“I rang you a month ago,” Winston sighed.

“Really?” The Doctor frowned. “Sorry, sorry. It's a Type Forty Tardis, it's. I'm just running her in,” he shrugged.

“Oh, a month?” Ariel moaned. “Does that mean you don’t have the chocolate truffles I asked about last time?”

“They’re in my office, if you’re willing to wait,” Winston chuckled. His smile quickly fell when he observed the less than cheery demeanor of the woman with the clipboard before him. “Something the matter, Breen? You look a little down in the dumps,” he remarked.

“No, sir,” Breen shook her head, painting a plastic smile back across her lips. “Fine, sir,” she assured him.

“Action this day, Breen. Action this day,” Winston insisted.

“Yes, sir,” Breen smiled and nodded, hurrying away as quickly as possible.

Before any member of the trio could get another word into Winston, a man marched up to Winston with another piece of news he needed to know.

War. There was not a single moment to stop and take a breath.

“Excuse me, sir. Got another formation coming in, Prime Minister. Stukas, by the look of them.”

Ariel winced at the very sound.

“We shall go up top then, Group Captain,” Winston nodded. “We'll give them what for. Coming, Doctor?” He prompted, raising an eyebrow.

“Why?” The Doctor wondered.

“Yeah, no offense but I’m not really fancying going up top with the Stukas above,” Ariel frowned.

“Ah, it’ll be alright,” Winston assured them with a wave of his hand. “I have something to show you.”

The Doctor and Ariel shared a curious look before he grabbed her land and they headed towards the lift with Winston.

“We stand at a crossroads, Doctor, quite alone, with our backs to the wall. Invasion is expected daily. So I will grasp with both hands anything that will give us an advantage over the Nazi menace,” Winston said, puffing smoke into Ariel’s face.

She waved the smoke away with a soft sigh and a roll of her eyes.

“Such as?” The Doctor prompted.

The lift arrived and Winston peered out with a small smile. “Follow me,” he nodded to the trio.

They headed out to the roof and the setting seemed picturesque of anything you could find in a school textbook about World War 2. There were sandbags and sentries laid out across the roof and standing before them all was a scientist in a white-coat peering up at the Stukas with binoculars. 

“Wow,” Amy gasped, her eyes wide as she gazed across the roof.

“I know, right?” Ariel nodded. “It’s one thing to imagine it, but actually being there-.”

“It’s terrifying,” Amy mumbled, glancing out at London city amidst war.

“Doctor, Ariel, this is Professor Edwin Bracewell,” Winston introduced, waving up to the scientist. “Head of our Ironsides Project.”

The Doctor sent him a peace sign that at the time stood for a V for Victory salute and Ariel simply waved.

“How do you do?” Bracewell smiled.

The trio walked up to the edge of the roof and watched the blimps flying over London.

The Doctor simply stared at it unfazed. It was a tough concept, sure, but after having been there for so long the sight and pain of it all washed away. As with anything, he had been exposed to the many wars humanity has faced that he knew and understood the pain well enough to not be fazed by the past wars the Earth has endure but to help try and stop new ones from being unleashed. He couldn’t do anything about the wars already set into history as rough as they may be.

Ariel was nearly as accustomed as the Doctor, a fact which she did not take pride in. While she was happy not bursting into tears at the sight of ever war through history, she also didn’t want to be unfazed by it no matter how used to the sight she may be. She was watching her home, maybe even some of her older family members, face and risk something they should never have to endure. She was watching as the very place she loved was torn apart amidst the battle. She never wanted to look at that with a blank face.

Amy watched the war with pure terror. She had never seen anything like what she was being faced with in anything except old documentaries and pictures. It was terrible to see the place she grew up being destroyed and thinking of all the innocent people down beneath her being slaughtered. A bomb went off somewhere in the distance and she squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn’t even begin to think how many lives had been taken in that small moment while she sat atop a roof unable to do a thing.

“Oh, Doctor,” Amy sighed. “Doctor, it’s-.”

“History,” the Doctor finished with a nod.

“It’s brutal and it’s terrifying but created the present we know,” Ariel nodded to Amy. “Without this, who knows where we’d be?” She sighed.

“Ready, Bracewell?” Winston called to the scientist.

“Aye aye, sir,”  Bracewell nodded. “On my order, fire!” He commanded some unseen troops.

Energy bolts zoomed out from a sandbagged emplacement towards the approaching Nazi planes. Everyone was a dead hit. 

The Doctor and Ariel shared a wide-eyed gaze. This was World War 2. Even if that was human technology displayed it shouldn’t be present in the 1940’s.

“What was that?” Amy frowned.

“Something bad,” Ariel muttered. “Something very bad,” she said, staring up at the sandbags behind Bracewell. Whatever he was hiding was completely and entirely wrong for the human race to have access to.

“That wasn't human,” the Doctor mumbled. “That was never human technology. “That sounded like,” he sucked in a sharp breath and grabbed Ariel’s hand. “Show us. Show us. Show us what that was!” He yelled. He ran up a small ladder to Bracewell and Ariel quickly followed, her eyes just as crazed as his at the idea of what might be lurking behind those sandbags.

Bracewell eyed the pair cautiously for a moment before nodding and turning to the sandbags. “Advance,” Bracewell instructed.

“Our new secret weapon. Ha!” Winston exclaimed.

What rolled out from behind the emplacement was certainly a weapon, there was no doubt about that but it was never a weapon created to help humanity win the war.

A Dalek painted khaki green with a utility belt and a Union flag painted on it rolled on before the Doctor and Ariel.

Ariel jumped back, gasping and staring at the Dalek with wide eyes. That wasn’t possible. The Daleks died. They all died. The duplicate Doctor committed genocide and killed all of them. 

So, how did they always survive?

Ariel became an orphan because of the Daleks and yet when she thought they had met their comeuppance and died, she lost everything and they were still alive and well.

“That can’t be possible,” Ariel breathed.

“What do you think? Quite something, eh?” Winston smirked.

“What are you doing here?” The Doctor murmured, stepping up before the Dalek and sneering at it. The very sight of the creature left him disgusted.

“I am your soldier,” the Dalek said.

“Please,” Ariel scoffed.

“What?” The Doctor frowned.

“I am your soldier,” the Dalek repeated.

“Stop this. Stop now,” the Doctor hissed. “Now, you know who I am. You know who we are,” he said, nodding to Ariel. “You always know.”

“Your identities are unknown,” the Dalek said.

“What, is it joking?” Ariel said.

“Perhaps I can clarify things here,” Bracewell offered, stepping forward in between the Doctor and the Dalek before the Doctor could tear it to scraps by hand which he looked as though he was considering. “This is one of my Ironsides.”

“Your what?” The Doctor scoffed, appearing just as astounded as Ariel felt when Bracewell tried to say he created the Daleks and they weren’t called Daleks.

“You will help the Allied cause in any way that you can,” Bracewell instructed the Dalek.

“Yes,” the Dalek agreed and Ariel felt as though her whole world was being flipped on its head.

“Until the Germans have been utterly smashed,” Bracewell continued.

“Yes,” the Dalek said.

“I’m sorry, am I dreaming?” Ariel frowned, glancing back down at Amy who simply shrugged unsure of what to offer the brunette.

“And what is your ultimate aim?” Bracewell implored.

“To win the war,” the Dalek said.

Ariel glanced back at the Doctor and saw his jaw clenched, obviously having spotted the double meaning in the words of the Dalek. To win the Time War? To win the war against every species that wasn’t Dalek? Or to win World War 2 like Bracewell assumed?

~~~

The Doctor slammed the Dalek blueprints down on Winston’s desk desperately trying to make him see the danger the  _ Ironsides _ posed. 

“They’re Daleks!” The Doctor exclaimed. “They’re called Daleks,” he insisted with a nod.

Meanwhile, Ariel sat in Winston’s chair with a box of chocolate truffles and a dier need to take a nap. Her life would be so much simpler if the Daleks had just died on the Crucible and left her without having to avenge her mother every time they popped up. 

She was tired of them. She was tired of the way they kept popping up throughout history when she or the Doctor thought them gone. She was tired of having to fight to protect herself and everyone she loved from them.

In that moment she wasn’t sure if she was more afraid of or just exhausted of the Daleks.

“They are Bracewell's Ironsides, Doctor,” Winston persisted. “Look. Blueprints, statistics, field tests, photographs,” he said, laying out all the evidence. “He invented them.”

“Invented them?” The Doctor scoffed. “Oh, no, no, no,” he said, shaking his head.

“Yes,” Winston argued, nodding at the Doctor. “He approached one of our brass hats a few months ago. Fellow's a genius,” he shrugged.

“A Scottish genius, too,” Amy smiled and Ariel grinned, rolling his eyes at the favoritism. “Maybe you should listen to-.”

“Shush!” The Doctor snapped and Amy looked bewildered as the Doctor turned back to Winston. “He didn’t invent them. They’re alien.”

“Alien?” Winston frowned.

“Doctor!” Ariel exclaimed, jumping up in her seat as a Dalek rolled past and momentarily listened in on the conversation.

The Doctor listened with bated breath until the Dalek rolled away before letting out a soft sigh and speaking to Winston once again.

“And totally hostile,” the Doctor nodded.

“Precisely,” Winston hummed. “They will win me the war,” he said.

“No, they won’t,” Ariel mumbled, placing the truffles on Winson’s desk and spinning the chair to face him. “The Daleks killed my Mum,” she said and Winston’s eyes widened.

“I am sorry for your loss, Miss Parsons but these Ironsides are not responsible for your mother’s death. They were invented here by Bracewell not too long ago,” Winston insisted.

Ariel glanced back at the Doctor in exhaustion. Even her statement that the Daleks had killed her mother didn’t help. Winston was dead set in his ways. 

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a war to win,” Winston said. He started marching out and Ariel jumped up out of her chair so the three could all march after him.

“Why won't you listen to me?” The Doctor wondered. “Why did you call me in if you won't listen to me?”

“When I rang you a month ago, I must admit I had my doubts,” Winston nodded. “The Ironsides seemed too good to be true,” he admitted.

“They are,” Ariel sighed.

“Yes. Right. So destroy them,” the Doctor nodded. “Exterminate them.”

Ariel just passed him a look that could only mean  _ ‘really?’ _ at his use of terminology and the Doctor’s cheeks pinkened.

“But imagine what I could do with a hundred,” Winston gasped. “A thousand.”

“I am imagining!” The Doctor snapped, clearly not believing it to be a pretty picture.

A Dalek rolled past carrying a despatch box and Ariel clenched her jaw. Why couldn’t they just die? The Doctor had tried to wipe them out in the Time War and they came back, Rose tried to wipe them out when she was Bad Wolf and they came back, the Doctor lost Rose trying to wipe them out and they came back, Ariel’s Mum died when the duplicate Doctor tried to wipe them out and  _ they came back _ . She desperately just wanted it to be over with. 

She started marching towards the Dalek that passed them and the Doctor grabbed her wrist and simply shook his head.

“But, they-,” Ariel tried to reason. She wasn’t being overwhelmed by what the Master had done to her in the Naismith Mansion. They had killed her mother. She just wanted to avenge the woman who had died so she could save the earth.

“Not now,” the Doctor mumbled. “We’ll figure out what they’re up to just not now.”

Ariel sighed and hung her head but nodded. The Doctor, as upset as he may be, was thinking more rationally than she and knew what had to be done. He knew the exact moment when they could start interrogating the Daleks and the exact moment they could fight to stop them and that moment was not now.

“Amy, tell him,” the Doctor sighed, nodding to Winston as the Prime Minister entered the map room.

“Tell him what?” Amy frowned.

“About the Daleks,” the Doctor shrugged.

“What would I know about the Daleks?” Amy wondered, glancing at the Doctor and Ariel curiously. Sure, the pair might know them from their travels before her, but how could she have any idea what they were?

The Doctor did a double take at her words and Ariel stared at her with large unblinking eyes.

“Everything,” the Doctor said. “They invaded your world, remember? Planets in the sky. You don't forget that. Amy, tell me you remember the Daleks,” he pleaded.

“No, sorry,” Amy shrugged, unsure of what the Doctor was even talking about.

“That’s not possible,” the Doctor breathed. He took Ariel’s hand and marched into the map room, but as she was tugged away the brunette kept ogling Amy like she was some new or rare zoo creature that she just couldn’t begin to understand.

“What’s going on?” Ariel frowned. “Why can’t she remember the Daleks? Everyone on Earth remembers the Daleks.”

“Except her,” the Doctor hummed, casting his gaze back towards the ginger momentarily.

“But, why not?” Ariel wondered.

“I don’t know,” the Doctor sighed. “Must be something to do with that crack,” he guessed. “But never mind that. We have to deal with the Daleks before whatever they’re planning is actually carried out.”

“But how do we even know what they’re doing here?” Ariel asked, following the Doctor as he walked back over to Amy’s side. The ginger seemed to be highly fascinated by the events unfolding around her and hardly paid the pair any mind when they returned. “I mean, sure, we know they’re up to something. I guess that’s a start,” she shrugged.

“So, they're up to something,” the Doctor nodded. “But what is it? What are they after?” He wondered.

“Well, let’s just ask, shall we?” Amy shrugged, not seeing the potential danger in the action. She started walking up to the Dalek and the Doctor and Ariel’s eyes inflated.

“Amy!” The Doctor hissed. “Amelia!” He shouted sounding more like a disgruntled parent than a friend trying to protect her.

“Amy, don’t!” Ariel cried, but she ignored their shouts and tapped on the Dalek’s armor making the Dalek spin around to face her.

“Can I be of assistance?”

“Oh,” Amy frowned, seeming to just realize that she was meant to question the Dalek right then. “Yes, yes. See, my friends reckon you're dangerous. That you're an alien. Is it true?” She wondered, raising an eyebrow at the Dalek.

Ariel simply rolled her eyes and turned away from the sight with a soft sigh. She doubted the Dalek would just jump up and say  _ yes, of course I’m an alien _ so this would get them nowhere. 

“I am your soldier,” the Dalek said.

“Yeah. Got that bit. Love a squaddie,” Amy hummed. “What else, though?” She implored.

“Please excuse me. I have duties to perform,” the Dalek answered, disregarding her question entirely.

The Doctor huffed at the sight and grabbed Ariel’s hand, dragging her back to Winston’s side.

“Winston. Winston, please,” the Doctor begged while Ariel took the cigar out of Winston’s mouth and placed it on the table.

“We are waging total war, Doctor,” Winston said, tired of the neverending discussion. “Day after day the Luftwaffe pound this great city like an iron fist.”

“Yeah, wait until the Daleks get started,” the Doctor mumbled bitterly.

“Men, women and children slaughtered. Families torn apart,” Winston sighed.

“The Daleks’ll be far worse than anything the Luftwaffe could toss at us,” Ariel insisted.

“Wren’s church is in flames,” Winston added, disregarding the words of caution the Doctor and Ariel tried to grant him.

“Yeah,” the Doctor nodded. “Try the Earth in flames,” he suggested,

“I weep for my country,” Winston sighed. “I weep for my empire. It is breaking my heart.”

“You're resisting, Winston,” the Doctor smiled. “The whole world knows you're resisting. You're a beacon of hope.”

“An inspiration,” Ariel agreed, nodding along with the Doctor’s words.

“But for how long?” Winston wondered. “Millions of innocent lives will be saved if I use these Ironsides now.”

“Millions of lives will be lost if you  _ keep  _ using them!” Ariel exclaimed. 

Just then, a Dalek rolled up to them and the Doctor appeared as though he was going to lose it at the very sight of the creature.

“Can I be of assistance?” The Dalek implored and the Doctor clenched his jaw, ready to lost his temper beside the Dalek.

“Just, shut it!” The Doctor hissed.

Ariel grabbed his hand and spun around to meet his eyes. “Doctor,” Ariel breathed, trying to pull him away from his fury. “Remember what you told me,” she reminded him with a nod. “Not now.”

The Doctor heaved a deep sigh and shook his head. “Right, okay,” he nodded. “Listen to me,” he sighed, turning his attention back to Winston and practically pleading with the Prime Minister. “Just listen. The Daleks have no conscience, no mercy, no pity. They are my oldest and deadliest enemy. You cannot trust them,” he insisted.

“If Hitler invaded hell, I would give a favourable reference to the Devil. These machines are our salvation,” Winston assured them and the Doctor and Ariel shared a look that screamed otherwise.

Just then, a loud wailing siren sounded and the Doctor and Ariel frowned at the sound while Winston huffed out a sigh of relief and clenched his chest.

“Oh, the All Clear,” Winston gasped. “We are safe,  _ for now _ ,” he said, a tone of warning apparent in his voice when he spoke to the Doctor and Ariel, silently telling them that more would be to come and they needed the Ironsides.

Winston walked away and was followed by one of the Daleks while the Doctor watched with narrowed eyes.

Amy walked up to the couple and frowned at their still obvious concern and worry present.

“Doctor, Ariel, it's the All Clear,” Amy reminded them as though they needed to hear that to realize it. “You okay?”

“What does hate look like, Amy?” The Doctor asked with a soft, irritated sigh.

“Hate?” Amy echoed with a frown.

“It looks like a Dalek. And I'm going to prove it,” the Doctor mumbled. He grabbed Ariel’s hand and marched out of the map room without another word.

“Doctor?” Ariel breathed. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking we need to show a Dalek doing what they were created for,” the Doctor hummed.

“You can’t get angry,” Ariel reminded him. “If we can figure out what they’re planning and still have everyone here trust us we can stop them before anyone has to die.”

“I’m not going to get angry,” the Doctor assured her, shaking his head. “But we need to talk to Bracewell.”

“Alright,” Ariel nodded. She knew the Doctor was angry with the Daleks and she was too, but the only way they would keep from losing control is if one of them remained calm in the face of the Daleks.

If they both lost their temper and allowed the presence of the Daleks to overwhelm them, they would never get anywhere and the Daleks would succeed in taking more lives.

Ariel’s mind was all over the place with the Daleks there. She wanted to get rid of them, sure, but seeing the Doctor’s fury only reminded her that she needed to stay calm. 

They headed into the laboratory just as Amy caught up to them.

“Alright, Prof. Now, the PM's been filling us in. Amazing things, these Ironsides of yours. Amazing,” the Doctor hummed, a tone of sarcasm present in his voice as he walked around to the desks and began flipping through the various files and occasionally passing some to Ariel for her to look through. “You must be very proud of them.”

“Just doing my bit,” Bracewell shrugged, grinning at the trio.

“Not bad for a Paisley boy,” Amy remarked, smirking at Bracewell.

“Yes, I thought I detected a familiar cadence, my dear,” Bracewell chuckled while the Doctor and Ariel ignored the pair of them as Ariel passed the Doctor a file of interest. 

“How did you do it?” The Doctor wondered, tossing the files onto the desk and marching over to Bracewell. “Come up with the idea?”

“Especially one so innovative for this time period,” Ariel hummed, nodding along with the Doctor as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

“How does the muse of invention come to anyone?” Bracewell retorted, smiling at the couple.

“But you get a lot of these clever notions, do you?” The Doctor persisted, raising an eyebrow at Bracewell.

“It seems so,” Ariel observed, glancing over Bracewell’s shoulder at the blueprints for some of his more recent inventions. 

“Well, ideas just seem to teem from my head,” Bracewell hummed, beaming with pride at the blueprints Ariel showed the Doctor. “Wonderful things, like. Let me show you. Some musings on the potential of hypersonic flight. Gravity bubbles that can sustain life outside of the terrestrial atmosphere. Came to me in the bath,” he shrugged.

“And are these your ideas or theirs?” The Doctor implored, nodding to a Dalek as it rolled over with a cup of tea for Bracewell.

“Oh no, no, no,” Bracewell shook his head. “These robots are entirely under my control, Doctor. They are,” he insisted and Ariel narrowed her eyes at him, unsure if he needed to convince them or himself more.

Bracewell smiled at the Dalek politely as he accepted his tea from it. “Thank you,” he nodded to the Dalek. “The perfect servant, and the perfect warrior,” he hummed.

“I don't know what you're up to, Professor, but whatever they've promised, you cannot trust them,” the Doctor insisted. “Call them what you like, the Daleks are death,” he repeated.

“Yes, Doctor!” Winston exclaimed, marching into a room with a Dalek following closely behind him. “Death to our enemies. Death to the forces of darkness, and death to the Third Reich!” He declared. 

“Yes, Winston, and death to everyone else too,” the Doctor nodded.

“They won’t distinguish between the enemy and every human on Earth, Winston,” Ariel sighed.

“Would you care for some tea?” A Dalek rolling up to the Doctor asked.

The Dalek’s words were the last straw for the Doctor and he knocked the tray from the Daleks sucker.

“Stop this!” The Doctor bellowed. “What are you doing here?! What do you want?!” He cried.

“Doctor!”  Ariel exclaimed, jumping up and running in between the Doctor and the Dalek. She pressed her hands against his chest and with large eyes she backed him away. “You can’t get angry,” she breathed.

“I know,” the Doctor gulped. “I know,” he assured her with a nod.

“We seek only to help you,” the Dalek said.

“To do what?” Ariel wondered, shaking her head at the dalek.

“To win the war,” the Dalek responded.

“Really?” The Doctor implored, stepping forward and raising an eyebrow at the Doctor. “Which war?” He wondered.

“I do not understand,” the Dalek said. 

“This war, against the Nazis, or your war? The war against the rest of the Universe? The war against all life forms that are not Dalek?” The Doctor asked, taking another step towards the Dalek against Ariel’s anxiety.

“I do not understand. I am your soldier,” the Dalek said. 

“Oh, yeah?” The Doctor implored, raising an eyebrow at the Dalek. “Okay. Okay, soldier, defend yourself,” he instructed. He picked up a spanner and Ariel’s eyes inflated.

Before she could run to stop him, it was as if the Doctor read her mind because he turned to her and took a deep breath. “Trust me?” He prompted, his voice barely above a whisper. “This is the only way,” he said.

Ariel hated that he had to physically attack the Dalek and seem mad before everyone in the room to get the Dalek to actually do something, but she accepted it. She nodded and took a step back. If she was honest there was a part of her that wanted the Doctor to do it sheerly because of all the pain the Daleks caused her and all of humanity. 

She would remain visibly calm so that Winston and Bracewell could trust her but in her mind she was crying out for justice just as anyone who’s mother had been murdered would.

The Doctor started slamming the spanner down on the Dalek and Winston and Bracewell both jumped up and started at the Doctor in horror.

“Doctor, what the devil?!” Winston exclaimed.

“You do not require tea?” The Dalek prompted and Ariel snorted. As much as she hated the Daleks she had to admire the fact that it was so willing to maintain the facade of an Ironside.

“Stop him!” Bracewell cried, obviously perturbed at the sight of the Doctor hitting the Dalek with a spanner. “Prime Minister, please,” he begged. “Miss Parsons.”

“I’m not going to stop him,” Ariel shook her head. “I’ve seen him do far worse when he wasn’t thinking, but right now he’s doing what’s necessary.”

“What the devil?” Winston gasped once again. “Doctor, please, these machines are precious,” he pleaded.

Ariel smiled at the sight of Winston making no move to stop the Doctor but rather just begging him to be delicate. Try as he might to deny it, Winston wanted to believe the duo because he trusted them so. After all, according to the Doctor they had known each other since Winston was ten years old. He wanted to test what he believed to be the Doctor’s theory and see if there were more to Bracewell’s Ironsides than met the eye. 

“Come on! Fight back!” The Doctor demanded of the Dalek, continuing to hit it with the spanner. “You want to, don't you? You know you do,” he nodded.

“You always want to fight back against him,” Ariel sighed, stepping forward towards the Dalek and frowning at it.

“I must protest!” Bracewell cried. 

“What are you waiting for? Look, you hate me. You want to kill me. You want to kill us,” he said, nodding to Ariel who stepped up to the Dalek with large eyes. “Well, go on. Kill me. Kill me!” The Doctor roared.

Ariel wanted to leap in front of the Doctor and stop him. She was the first to notice how, despite stating openly that the Dalek wanted to kill both of them he was the one to volunteer to be shot and prove his point that the Daleks were evil. Ariel was torn between crying and dragging him away from the danger and smacking him and reminding the reckless idiot that this was his last face and he didn’t have room to do as he had done before with all other twelve faces, mindlessly carefree of whatever harm he may come across. 

“Doctor, be careful!” Ariel cried, jumping between him and the Dalek. 

The Doctor’s eyes widened and within mere seconds, on instinct, he moved Ariel out of the way before continuing to slam the spanner down on the Dalek. Ariel tumbled into Amy’s arms and stared at the Doctor with large eyes.

“He’s gonna get himself killed,” Ariel breathed.

“Please desist from striking me,” the Dalek requested. “I am your soldier.”

“You’re not our soldier,” Ariel sneered. “You have never been  _ our  _ soldier.”

“You are our enemy!” The Doctor bellowed, slamming the spanner down harder with every word. “And we am yours,” he sighed. “You are everything I despise. The worst thing in all creation. I've defeated you time and time again. I've defeated you. I sent you back into the Void. I saved the whole of reality from you. I am the Doctor! And you are the Daleks!” The Doctor yelled. He kicked the Dalek backwards and it rolled away but rather respond with the typical insistance of it being their soldier, it froze.

The Doctor stopped his shouts as he seemed to realize that fact as well and Ariel ran up to his side, grabbing his hand and watching the Doctor cautiously as though it may start shooting all of them at any moment.

“Correct,” the Dalek said and Ariel felt the Doctor squeeze her hand tightly. “Review testimony.”

“Oh, my God,” Ariel breathed.

“Testimony,” the Doctor muttered. “What are you talking about, testimony?” 

The Dalek rolled itself up to another Dalek and they turned to face each other while everyone watched with bated breath.

“Transmitting testimony now,” the second Dalek announced.

“Transmit what, where?” The Doctor demanded, watching the Daleks with a frown. 

“Oh, God, there’s gotta be a ship,” Ariel mumbled.

The Doctor sucked in a sharp breath and kept his unblinking eyes focused on every action the Daleks made.

“Testimony accepted,” the second Dalek announced.

“Get back, all of you!” The Doctor cried, pushing everyone near him backwards including Ariel.

“Marines!” Winston called. “Marines, get in here.”

Two Marines ran into the room and they were almost automatically exterminated by the Daleks.

“No!” Ariel yelled. She jumped forward but the Doctor held her back, knowing she would be exterminated the moment she moved against the Daleks.

“Stop it, stop it, please,” Bracewell begged. “What are you doing? You are my Ironsides,” he insisted.

“We are the Daleks.”

“But I created you,” Bracewell reasoned with a small frown. Ariel felt a twang of pity for the man. He had been hailed as a genius for something he didn’t even invent and were actually sociopathic murdering aliens.

“No,” the Dalek said and blasted Bracewell’s arm off but rather than blood pouring out there were sparks and wires shooting from his body as he staggered backwards. “We created you.”

“Bloody hell,” Ariel breathed.

“Victory. Victory. Victory,” the Daleks chanted before teleporting away.

“What just happened, Doctor?” Amy gasped.

Ariel ran forward to Bracewell and helped him cover up the sparks and wires shooting out of his arm while he seemed to hardly be breathing or gaining the ability to process what was happening.

“I wanted to know what they wanted,” the Doctor mumbled. “What their plan was. I was their plan.”

“It’s not your fault, Doctor,” Ariel assured him, tying the cloth around Bracewell’s arm. 

“No,” the Doctor breathed. “But they still need to be stopped,” he nodded. Before he could elaborate, he bolted out of the room and Ariel and Amy gazed at each other with wide eyes.

The Doctor poked his head back into the room with a small frown. “Ariel?” He prompted.

Ariel grinned and ran after him and he chuckled and grabbed her hand, running back to the Tardis with her.

“Wha-Hey!” Amy called and bolted after them.

“Testimony accepted,” the Doctor mumbled. “That's what they said. My testimony,” he hummed.

“Don't beat yourself up because you were right!” Amy called. “What do we do? Is this what we do now? Chase after them?”

The Doctor glanced down at Ariel and her eyes grew wide. She stepped back and raised her hands in surrender.

“Don’t ask me, you know I can’t give a proper opinion in this,” She said. She knew she had apologized for her jealousy but she still wanted time before she could pass a proper judgment on what they should do when it pertained to Amy.

The Doctor nodded and sighed softly, combing his hands through his floppy brown hair. 

“This is what we do, yeah, and it's dangerous, so you wait here,” the Doctor instructed with a nod.

“What? If it’s dangerous why does Ariel get to go?” Amy wondered.

“‘Cause I know I couldn’t talk her out of it if I wanted to,” the Doctor smirked and Ariel grinned. “And believe me I’ve tried.”

“What, so you mean I've got to stay safe down here in the middle of the  _ London Blitz _ ?” Amy frowned, trying to put emphasis on how ridiculous it sounded.

“Safe as it gets around us,” the Doctor shrugged. “Come on, we’ve gotta get going,” he sighed and grabbed Ariel’s hand to pull her into the Tardis.

Ariel passed one quick empathetic glance at Amy before she was pulled inside and the door was closed. She remembered being in the exact same position Amy was in at that moment. The first time she met the Doctor he’d wanted to keep her out of danger meaning she was left behind and felt entirely useless. 

Part of her was overwhelmed with excitement at the fact that the Doctor chose to never leave her behind again, but when she looked at that last expression that passed across Amy’s face before she left she couldn’t help but see herself a year earlier.

“Alright, we need to set the scanner on search to find that ship,” the Doctor announced, running up to the console and swinging the scanner around to him.

“It should be close to Earth,” Ariel nodded. “When they were on the Crucible they stayed right at the center of everything.”

“Exactly,” the Doctor hummed as it scanned. “Come on,” he mumbled.

The image on the scanner blurred and revealed a large Dalek ship right beside the moon. 

“Bingo!” The Doctor exclaimed and Ariel giggled.

“What are we gonna do to stop them from exterminating us on the spot?” Ariel frowned.

“Ah, didn’t think of that bit,” the Doctor mumbled with a small frown.

Ariel chuckled and rolled her eyes. “What would you do without me?” Ariel sighed.

“I’d be lost,” the Doctor smiled. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. 

He allowed his gaze to wander to her lips and she felt as though the oxygen had been sucked out of the room. Each second seemed to last an eternity until he lowered his lips to hers.  His lips brushed sensually over hers, gentle and soft, making her tummy flip. She ran her fingers through the small tufts of hair at the back of his neck and yanked slightly making him moan and pull her closer.

His tongue darted out to trace the seam of her lips and she opened to him almost immediately.

All too soon, the Doctor pulled away and pressed his forehead against hers with a sigh. “We have to go,” the Doctor breathed.

Ariel gulped harshly and nodded. “I know. Do we have a plan?”

“Not even a small one,” the Doctor chuckled. 

“Well, okay,” Ariel frowned. “We need to threaten them with something they can’t stand to lose.”

“There’s nothing the Daleks can’t stand to lose,” the Doctor reminded her.

“There is one thing,” Ariel nodded. “Their own lives. They think themselves above everything in the universe. Their own lives are more important than anything else they have planned. They’re not like the Sontarans who would be willing to for their cause.”

“So, you’re saying we threaten them,” the Doctor nodded.

“Not an actual threat,” Ariel said. “Just enough to make them scared,” she shrugged.

“So, like, like, like,” the Doctor hummed, running through the Tardis and pulling up the floor. He fished through for a moment before pulling out a small tin victoriously. “Like some Jammy Dodgers!” He exclaimed.

“We’re gonna fool the Daleks with some Jammy Dodgers?” Ariel prompted, an amused grin painted across her face.

“Got any better ideas?” The Doctor implored.

“Fair point,” Ariel nodded. “But how long have those been in there?” She winced.

“Ah, a few weeks, why?” The Doctor wondered.

“Because I didn’t remember ever having seen you put some snacks in there, but alright,” Ariel sighed. “But this might work,” she nodded. “After all didn’t those Daleks down there ask us if we wanted tea?”

The Doctor chuckled and nodded, eating one Jammy Dodger while pulling another out of the tin to use against the Daleks. 

“Brilliant,” the Doctor hummed. “Now, let’s go try not to get exterminated,” he said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

Ariel giggled and gazed up at him, knowing there was no place she’d rather be than avoiding extermination and bluffing her way out of being killed with the man she loved most.

They waltzed out of the ship together happily.

“How about that cuppa, then?” The Doctor prompted, smirking at the Daleks.

“It is the Doctor and Ariel,” one of the Daleks announced.

“Exterminate, exterminate!”

“Wait, wait, wait!” The Doctor exclaimed, pulling the Jammy Dodger out of his suit. “I wouldn't if I were you. Tardis self-destruct, and you know what that means. My ship goes, you all go with it,” he warned.

“You would not use such a device with the woman you love on board,” one of the Daleks accused.

“Please,” Ariel scoffed. 

“Try me,” the Doctor said, glaring at the Daleks.

One of the Daleks rolled forward and Ariel jumped back and grabbed the Doctor’s arm. “Doctor,” Ariel gasped.

The Doctor’s eyes widened and he spun around to the Dalek holding up the Jammy Dodger. “Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah. No scans. No nothing. One move and I'll destroy us all, you got that? Tardis bang bang, Daleks boom!” The Doctor warned and the Dalek rolled backward. “Good boy,” he hummed. “This ship's pretty beaten up. Running on empty, I'd say, like you. When we last met, you were at the end of your rope. Finished.”

“One ship survived,” one of the Daleks said.

“Oh, isn’t that always the story?” Ariel sighed. “One ship survived, fled from the scene-.”

“And you fell back through time, yes,” the Doctor finished with a nod. “Crippled, dying,” he moaned.

“So, why are you back?” Ariel wondered. “You don’t look like you’ve gained anything as far as strength goes. Why show your faces now?”

“We picked up a trace. One of the Progenitor devices,” the Dalek replied.

“Progenitor?” The Doctor prompted, raising an eyebrow. “What's that when it's at home?” He implored.

“It is our past, and our future,” the Dalek said.

“That’s a bit poetic innit?” Ariel frowned, turning to the Doctor.

“That's deep,” the Doctor agreed with a nod. “That is deep for a Dalek. What does it mean, though?” He wondered.

“It contains pure Dalek DNA. Thousands were created. All were lost, save one,” the golden Dalek explained.

“Alright, that makes sense,” Ariel nodded. “Lose the empire, rebuild it from the Progenitor.”

“Okay, but there's still one thing I don't get, though,” the Doctor frowned. “If you've got the Progenitor, why build Bracewell?” He wondered.

“It was… necessary,” the Dalek said.

“But why?” Ariel implored.

“I get it,” the Doctor said, his tone breathy as he realized what Bracewell meant “Oh, I get it. I get it. Oh ho! This is rich,” he laughed.

“What?” Ariel frowned. “What is it?”

“The Progenitor wouldn't recognise them, would it?” The Doctor prompted with a small smirk. “It saw them as impure. Their DNA is unrecognisable as Dalek,” he hummed.

Ariel’s eyes inflated and a large grin slapped itself onto her face. “Oh, that’s brilliant!” She giggled. “You’re not seen as proper Daleks!”

“A solution was devised,” the Dalek said, its robotic tone somehow sour at the amusement of the couple. 

“Yes, yes, yes. Me. My testimony,” the Doctor sighed. “So you set a trap. You knew that the Progenitor would recognise me, the Daleks' greatest enemy. It would accept my word. My recognition of you,” he nodded.

Ariel’s eyes widened as she spotted one of the Daleks rolling over to a control panel and sticking its sucker on it.

“Doctor,” Ariel breathed, tapping his arm and pointing to the Dalek.

“No. No, no,” the Doctor frowned, holding up his Jammy Dodger. “What are you doing?” He asked. 

“Withdraw now, Doctor, or the city dies in flames,” the golden Dalek warned.

“Who are you kidding?” The Doctor scoffed. “This ship is a wreck. You don't have the power to destroy London,” he said.

“Watch as the humans destroy themselves,” the golden Dalek said.

“Wait,” Ariel said, inhaling sharply. “Doctor, the lights in the city. It’s nighttime the Germans will be able to see them,” she said.

“Oh, God,” the Doctor gasped. “Turn those lights off now. Turn London off or I swear I will use the Tardis self destruct,” he promised, holding up the Jammy Dodger.

“Stalemate, Doctor,” the Dalek said. “Leave us and return to Earth,” it instructed.

“What so you can just leave?” Ariel frowned. 

“Oh, that's it,” the Doctor sighed. “That's your great victory? You leave?” He prompted.

“Extinction is not an option. We shall return to our own time and begin again.”

“You can’t begin again,” Ariel sighed. “You can’t get the chance to create a whole new Dalek empire again.”

“No, no, no,” the Doctor shook his head. “I won't let you get away this time. I won't.”

All of a sudden, there was an odd sound coming from the ship that sounded like a laser or an engine phasing and steadily there were soft beeps growing louder.

“We have succeeded,” the Dalek announced. “DNA reconstruction is complete. Observe, Doctor and Ariel, a new Dalek paradigm.”

They rolled away for the Doctor and Ariel to see as the doors of the Progenitor cabinet hiss open and a bunch of steam roll out. The new Daleks rolled out of the Progenitor cabinet and Ariel’s eyes inflated at the very sight of them.

They were huge, taller than her and about as tall as the Doctor as well as far larger than the original ones standing by.

“The Progenitor has fulfilled our new destiny. Behold, the restoration of the Daleks. The resurrection of the master race,” one of the original Daleks announced.

“All hail the new Daleks. All hail the new Daleks,” the original Daleks chanted and Ariel looked up at the Doctor fear and worry thrumming through her veins.

“Doctor, what do we do?” Ariel breathed. 

“I don’t know,” the Doctor mumbled, seeming just as confused and worried as she felt.

“Yes, you are inferior,” the white Dalek said.

“Yes,” the original Dalek agreed.

“Then prepare,” the white Dalek instructed.

“We are ready,” the original Daleks said.

“Cleanse the unclean. Total obliteration. Disintegrate,” the white Dalek instructed.

The blue Dalek shot two of the original Daleks to their right and the red Dalek shot one to their right.

“I mean I’m not gonna argue with some Daleks exterminating each other, but-,” Ariel began with a sigh.

“Blimey,” the Doctor said, nodding along with her. “What do you do to the ones who mess up?” He wondered.

“You are the Doctor and you are Ariel Parsons,” the white Dalek observed. “You must be exterminated.”

The Doctor stepped forward before any of them could even spin around and turn their guns on the couple he pulled the Jammy Dodger back out of his suit.

“Don't mess with me, sweetheart,” the Doctor hummed, glaring into the eyestalk of the white Dalek.

“Now, hold on before anyone does any blowing up or exterminating,” Ariel sighed, stepping forward towards the Daleks. “Give us some sort of explanation. Who are you? ‘Cos those lads said you were some sort of new and shiny Daleks so give a dying girl her last wish and tell us what makes you so special?” She wondered. 

The Doctor smirked down at her as he put his Jammy Dodger away. She was brilliant in every sense of the word. He remembered when she was terrified of what may happen to her if she even stepped before a Dalek and now she was standing between him and the Daleks and getting them to give her more information. She was incredible.

“We are the paradigm of a new Dalek race,” the white Dalek said. “Scientist, Strategist, Drone, Eternal, and the Supreme,” it listed.

“Which would be you, I'm guessing,” the Doctor nodded. “Well, you know, nice paint job,” he remarked. “I'd be feeling pretty swish if I looked like you. Pretty supreme,” he hummed. “Question is, what do we do now? Either you turn off your clever machine or I'll blow you and your new paradigm into eternity,” he warned.

“And the pair of you,” the white Dalek observed.

“That doesn’t matter,” Ariel shrugged.

“Occupational hazard,” the Doctor nodded in agreement. It was easier to be alright with threatening to blow up the ship when he wasn’t actually going to do it and kill the woman he loved. 

“Scan reveals nothing. Tardis self destruct device non-existent,” the blue Dalek announced.

“Alright, it's a Jammy Dodger, but we were promised tea,” the Doctor argued, taking a bite out of his biscuit. 

“Oi, if we’re going to be giving up I at least want to get a bite,” Ariel frowned.

The Doctor chuckled and passed the half eaten biscuit which she finished happily. 

All of a sudden, a loud alarm sound and the new Daleks spun around to address the concern all of them crowding around one control panel to see.

“Alert,” the blue Dalek announced. “Unidentified projectile approaching. Correction, multiple projectiles.”

Ariel tapped the Doctor’s arm and gestured to an unattended control panel and they both ran towards it. On the monitor there was a few ships flying within shooting range of the Dalek ship.

“What have the humans done?” The white Dalek asked the couple.

“I don’t know,” the Doctor frowned.

“Those look like Spitfires,” Ariel mumbled, narrowing her eyes at the screen, and the Doctor’s eyes widened.

“Explain. Explain. Explain,” the white Dalek demanded.

“Danny Boy to the Doctor and Ariel. Danny Boy to the Doctor Ariel. Are you receiving me? Over,” a voice called over the intercom and the Doctor and Ariel both jumped up with large eyes.

“Oh, my God,” Ariel gasped.

“Oh ho!” The Doctor exclaimed. “Winston, you beauty!” He cried.

“Danny Boy to the Doctor and Ariel. Come in. Over,” Danny called.

“Oh, you are brilliant!” Ariel exclaimed, laughing as she spun around gleefully.

“Loud and clear, Danny Boy!” The Doctor cried. “Big dish, side of the ship. Blow it up. Over,” he instructed.

“It might have a forcefield Danny Boy so be sure to shoot the area surrounding the dish and disrupt it. Over,” Ariel said.

“Exterminate the Doctor and Ariel!” The white Dalek ordered.

The Doctor grabbed Ariel’s hand and bolted back into the Tardis as the other Daleks shot at them.

Ariel slammed the door shut behind them and let out a deep sigh before rolling into a fit of giggles quickly joined by the Doctor who barked with laughter as he flicked on the scanner to tune into the radio the pilots were using.

Ariel jumped up to the console and walked over to the Doctor’s side as he tuned into the radio.

“Okay, chaps, let's put London back under cover of darkness. Tally ho! Cover my back, going in close. Pull out, pull out.”

There was a loud scream and what sounded like an explosion.

“We've lost Jubilee, sir. Over.”

There was another scream from one of the pilots. At a guess, Ariel could say the Daleks were using the defences they had to fight back against the small group of pilots Winston had sent out. The shields weren’t just around the beam like she thought but around the whole ship. They couldn’t be hit.

“Flintlock's down sir, and the dish seems to be protected. Over.”

There was a last dying scream and Ariel winced as Danny Boy came back on the radio.

“Danny Boy to the Doctor and Ariel. Only me left now,” Danny Boy announced. “Anything either of you can do? Over.”

The Doctor took a deep breath and Ariel grabbed his hand before he could press the button and radio back to Danny Boy. 

“I know what you’re thinking and are you sure?” Ariel mumbled.

“There isn’t another way,” the Doctor sighed. “These are the last of the Daleks. If we get rid of them we could finally put an end to the Daleks. Isn’t that what you want?”

“It is,” Ariel nodded. “‘But we can’t just think of what we want here. If we die we’ll be stranding Amy in World War 2 and the universe won’t have the Doctor anymore. You’re not regenerating after this one,” she sighed.

“It’s the only way,” the Doctor insisted, his resolve only wavering with the knowledge that he would be killing Ariel as well. 

“Okay,” Ariel nodded. “Then, we’ll do this,” she said, taking a deep breath and turning back to the console.

The Doctor smiled at her softly, a twang of regret in his hearts knowing he would be robbing the world of someone as brilliant and wonderful as Ariel. His own death didn’t matter to him, it was Ariel’s that truly made him wonder if he was making the right decision.

The Doctor took a deep breath and pressed the button to radio in. “The Doctor to Danny Boy. The Doctor to Danny Boy. I can disrupt the Dalek shields, but not for long. Over.”

“Good show, Doctor. Go to it. Over.”

The Doctor nodded to Ariel and gestured to what different levers to pull or buttons she should press to help bring the shields down.

“I'm going in,” Danny Boy announced. “Wish me luck. Over.”

There was the sound of a loud explosion in the distance and Ariel’s eyes widened. 

“He got it!” Ariel exclaimed with a large grin. “The Earth is safe,” she sighed.

The Doctor smiled and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close as he waited for Danny Boy to speak to him again. 

It was a matter of mere moments before Danny Boy’s voice came through on the radio. “Danny Boy to the Doctor and Ariel. Going in for another attack,” Danny Boy announced.

The Doctor turned to Ariel and raised an eyebrow, silently asking if she was still alright with their sacrifice for the sake of the universe.

Ariel smiled and nodded, knowing that sacrificing herself so a new race of Daleks couldn’t destroy the universe was worth it a million times over.

The Doctor took a deep breath before radioing in once again. “The Doctor to Danny Boy. The Doctor to Danny Boy. Destroy this ship. Over,” he instructed.

“What about the two of you?” Danny Boy wondered.

“Don’t worry about us, Danny Boy,” Ariel smiled.

“We’ll be okay,” the Doctor nodded, his vision growing blurry as he glanced down at the woman he loved smiling sadly at the radio.

Just then, the screen on the far wall flickered and the white Dalek appeared on it.

“Doctor, Ariel,” the white Dalek hissed. “Call off your attack.”

“Ah ha,” the Doctor chuckled humorlessly. “What, and let you scuttle off back to the future? No fear. This is the end for you. The final end,” he hummed.

“Call off the attack, or we will destroy the Earth,” the white Dalek threatened.

“Please,” Ariel scoffed, turning away from the screen. 

“We’re not stupid, mate,” the Doctor said. “You've just played your last card.”

“Bracewell is a bomb,” the white Dalek said, and proved them both completely wrong. All three hearts stopped at those four little words.

“You're bluffing,” the Doctor scoffed. “Deception's second nature to you. There isn't a sincere bone in your body,” he said, shaking his head. 

“There isn't a bone in their bodies,” Ariel frowned and the Doctor snorted.

“His power is derived from an Oblivion Continuum,” the white Dalek said. “Call off your attack, or we will detonate the android.”

“Doctor, can we really risk this?” Ariel breathed.

The Doctor stared at the radio and the screen with wide eyes, unsure if he was willing to give up this opportunity.

“No,” the Doctor shook his head. “This is my best chance ever. The last of the Daleks. I can rid the Universe of you, once and for all,” he insisted.

“Then do it. But we will shatter the planet below,” the white Dalek said.

The Doctor stared at the white Dalek with a clenched jaw and glanced down at Ariel. If he let the Dalek destroy the Earth, Ariel would cease to exist. Every trip they had together, every time she had saved his life or stopped him from losing control would be wiped away. He couldn’t allow that to happen. 

“Maybe, we can destroy the ship and stop Bracewell in time?” Ariel offered with a small shrug. 

The Doctor took a deep breath and marched to the radio, snatching it off the console and sucking in a sharp breath before radioing in.

“The Doctor to Danny Boy. The Doctor to Danny Boy. Withdraw,” the Doctor instructed.

“But sir,” Danny Boy tried.

“Doctor,” Ariel sighed. 

The Doctor glanced at Ariel and for just a moment she could have sworn she saw his resolve waver.  If there was one thing he would never give up, even if the universe depended on it, it was her. He’d got to hell and back if she asked and she hated that she could see that in his eyes when he looked at her.

“There's no time,” the Doctor said. “You have to return to Earth now. Over,” he instructed.

The Doctor hung up the radio and hung his head with a soft sigh. Ariel ran to his side and wrapped her arms around him. “It’ll be alright,” Ariel mumbled. “You did the right thing,” she assured him.

“Yeah, well, it’s not over yet,” the Doctor mumbled. “You and I both know they’re not going to release Bracewell.”

Ariel sighed and nodded. “Alright. But you aren’t to blame because of this. They’re using your emotions against you.”

“I know,” the Doctor muttered, he flicked a lever to start the time rotors, clenching his jaw as he did so. “They knew I wouldn’t be able to leave the earth so they used it against me.”

“That’s their weakness, Doctor,” Ariel insisted. “They live half lives every time they come back. They’re literally only existing because they can’t bear the thought of going extinct. You’re better than them because you feel what they are terrified of feeling. You  _ love _ ,” she sighed.

The Doctor smiled softly and placed his hand on the back of her head, pulling her forward to press his lips gently against hers.

“I love you,” the Doctor mumbled and Ariel grinned.

“I love you too,” Ariel nodded. “Now, come on, time to save the world then,” she said. 

The Doctor smirked and grabbed her hand. “Let’s go,” the Doctor nodded. 

They bolted into the map room and the Doctor released Ariel’s hand before spinning Bracewell around to face him and knocking him square in the jaw. Bracewell fell to the ground and the Doctor waved his hand wincing in pain.

“Doctor!” Amy exclaimed, her eyes large at the Doctor’s action.

“Ow,” the Doctor winced, and Ariel smiled, grabbing his hand and rubbing his pinkened knuckled. “Sorry, Professor, you're a bomb. An inconceivably massive Dalek bomb.”

“What?” Bracewell gasped.

“There's an Oblivion Continuum inside you. A captured wormhole that provides perpetual power. Detonate that, and the Earth will bleed through into another dimension. Now keep down,” the Doctor instructed, waving his hand to the group to silence them as he knelt down beside Bracewell. He tore open Bracewell’s shirt and sonicked his chest to reveal an armored chest as well as a small dial with five lights around it all light blue.

“Can he do it?” Amy frowned. “Can he disarm it?” She asked.

“We have to believe he can,” Ariel nodded.

One of the small lights on the five dials turned yellow as the Doctor completed his scans. 

“Well?” Amy prompted. 

“I don't know, I don't know, I don't know,” the Doctor rambled, shaking his head furiously. “Never seen one up close before,” he admitted.

“So what, they've wired him up to detonate?” Amy assumed with a small frown.

“Oh no, not wired him up,” the Doctor shook his head. “He is a bomb. Walking, talking, pow, exploding, the moment that flashes red,” he said, pointing to the dials.

“There’s gotta be some way to stop it from going off,” Ariel insisted.

“There's a blue wire or something you have to cut, isn't there?” Amy frowned, going off the knowledge she had just from the films she had seen. “There's always a blue wire. Or a red one,” she winced.

“This isn’t a movie, though albeit that would make things a lot easier,” Ariel moaned.

“Neither of you are helping,” the Doctor sighed.

“It's incredible,” Winston breathed. “He talked to us about his memories. The Great War,” he shrugged.

“Someone else's stolen thoughts, implanted in a positronic brain,” the Doctor nodded and froze when he realized that was the ticket. “Tell me about it. Bracewell. Tell me about your life,” he requested.

“Doctor, I really don't think this is the time-,” Bracewell began.

“Tell me, and prove you're human. Tell me everything,” the Doctor insisted.

Bracewell’s eyes widened as he realized what the Doctor meant. He nodded and dug into his memories for something emotion based.

“My family ran the Post Office. It's a little place just near the abbey, just by the ash trees. There used to be eight trees but there was a storm,” Bracewell mumbled.

“And your parents?” The Doctor prompted. “Come on, tell me,” he insisted.

“Good people. Kind people,” Bracewell nodded. “They died. Scarlet fever.”

“What was that like?” The Doctor wondered. “How did it feel? How did it make you feel, Edwin? Tell me. Tell me now.”

“It hurt. It hurt, Doctor, it hurt so badly,” Bracewell sobbed, tears blurring his vision and beginning to stream down his cheeks at the memory. “It was like a wound. I though it was worse than a wound. Like I'd been emptied out. There was nothing left,” he breathed.

It wasn’t working. There were two red, on yellow and two blue segments. The countdown just kept going.

“Good. Remember it now, Edwin. The ash trees by the Post Office and your mum and dad, and losing them, and men in the trenches you saw die. Remember it. Feel it. You feel it because you're human. You're not like them. You're not like the Daleks!” The Doctor insisted.

“It hurts, Doctor. It hurts so much,” Bracewell cried and Ariel and Amy were both wincing at the sight of the poor man crying and his tears getting him nowhere.

“It’s not working,” Amy sighed.

“I know,” Ariel mumbled.

“Good. Good, good, brilliant. Embrace it. That means you're alive. They cannot explode that bomb because you're a human being. You are flesh and blood. They cannot explode that bomb. Believe it. You are Professor Edwin Bracewell, and you, my friend, are a human being!” The Doctor insisted.

The dials blippled to four red and one yellow. 

The Doctor fell back with a sigh and large eyes. “It’s not working. I can’t stop it.”

“There must be some other emotion he can focus on,” Amy assured them with a nod. “You said the Daleks only feel hate so there must be something else. Joy, maybe?” She proposed.

“Love,” Ariel breathed, her eyes wide as she realized. She had told the Doctor he felt the one emotion the Daleks were terrified of. It was sadness or joy, it was love. They were terrified of love.

“What?” Amy frowned, not hearing what the girl had said. 

Rather than respond, Ariel knelt down beside Bracewell and focused on the first time she had ever felt real true love. The first time she had ever felt accepted and what that experience felt like.

“Hey, Ed,” Ariel smiled and Bracewell granted her a quick but sad smile at the nickname. “Ever fancied someone you know you shouldn't?” She implored, raising her eyes to the Doctor’s and focusing on the emotions she felt when she thought she couldn’t be with the Doctor when she had first started developing feelings for him.

“What?” Bracewell faltered.

“It hurts, doesn't it?” Ariel nodded, keeping her eyes focused on the Doctor. “But kind of a good hurt,” she smiled.

“I really shouldn't talk about her,” Bracewell blushed.

“Oh, there’s a her?” Ariel hummed.

The last dial turned from yellow back to blue, but the Doctor and Ariel hardly noticed. An asteroid could have fallen straight into the room and their eyes wouldn’t have left each other.

“What was her name?” The Doctor wondered, transfixed by the stormy grey eyes of the woman he loved.

“Dorabella,” Bracewell breathed like the name itself was poetry slipping off of his tongue.

The Doctor chuckled, grinning at Ariel. “Dorabella?” He echoed. “It's a lovely name. It's a beautiful name,” he nodded, seeming to be speaking more to Ariel than Bracewell.

“What was she like, Ed?” Ariel wondered.

“Oh, such a smile,” Bracewell grinned and the Doctor allowed his gaze to wander down to Ariel’s grin. “And her eyes,” Bracewell hummed and the Doctor’s eyes flickered up to Ariel’s beautiful grey eyes. “Her eyes were so blue. Almost violet, like the last touch of sunset on the edge of the world. Dorabella,” Bracewell sighed.

There was a moment of pause and all the dials fell back to blue. Amy laughed and clapped victoriously while Bracewell grinned and held his spectacles in place as he peered down at the dials all fading to white signalling that the bomb had been deactivated.

Bracewell scooted away from the Doctor and Ariel and they wasted no time running to each other and pressing their lips against the other’s. His tongue darted out within seconds and she opened to him without a moment of hesitation.

Bracewell chuckled and shook his head at the sight. Amy’s eyes grew ten sizes as she watched them and Winston just smirked and spun away. 

“Ah, the love of those two is one for the history books I should think,” Winston hummed.

“Yeah,” Amy breathed, secretly wishing she was the one that had that.

Ariel and the Doctor pulled apart and the Doctor cupped her cheeks, speaking to her in low whispers so only she could hear. 

She nodded furiously and he grinned before grabbing her hand and running to the exit.

“Got to stop them. Stop the Daleks!” The Doctor called so they had an idea of where the pair were going when they ran out.

“Wait, Doctor. Wait, wait. It's too late,” Bracewell called. The pair skidded to a stop and both spun around with large eyes to face Bracewell. “Gone. They’ve gone,” he sighed. 

“No. No!” The Doctor roared, kicking the wall in fury. “They can't. They can't have got away from me again.”

“No, I can feel it. My mind is clear. The Daleks have gone,” Bracewell sighed.

The Doctor ran his fingers through his hair and pulled at it in frustration. 

“Doctor,” Ariel sighed. She pulled at his arm and spun him around. 

“Doctor, it's okay. You did it,” Amy assured him with a nod. “You stopped the bomb. Doctor?” She prompted, unsure of why he wasn’t speaking and seemed to only be focusing on Ariel.

“I had a choice,” the Doctor sighed. “And they knew I'd choose the Earth. The Daleks have won. They beat me. They've won.”

“No, they haven’t,” Ariel said, shaking her head. “You stopped them from committing a genocide they would have done just to make a point. You saved the Earth, again and did it quite fantastically might I add,” she smirked.

“It's a brilliant achievement, my dear friend,” Winston remarked, clapping the Doctor on the back. “Here, have a cigar,” he offered, holding out a Cuban cigar for him.

Ariel winced and turned away. She hated the smell of smoke. Her Uncle smoked and she despised every time she had been forced to visit him because she had to stay in a house flooded with the smell of smoke.

The Doctor watched Ariel warily and shook his head. “No,” he said to Winston and the Prime Minister shrugged but nodded as he turned away.

~~~

The next morning, Ariel and the Doctor finished up dismantling the alien technology in the Spitfires.

“Well, if I’m honest I almost feel bad taking this apart,” Ariel admitted as they carried the spare parts into the Tardis. “It looks brilliant and it’d be bloody cool to have Spitfires that could fly in space.”

“Yeah, but you and I both know this would win them the war in a matter of moments and that’s not how this works,” the Doctor sighed as he heaved the technology onto a pile they had built up.

“I know,” Ariel nodded, dumping the last of the technology onto the pile as well before heading outside with the Doctor. “But it’s still cool to think about,” she shrugged.

“If you want to see Spitfires with alien technology so bad we should just head back into the future,” the Doctor frowned.

“No, I’m not that desperate,” Ariel giggled. “Besides, I think it’s about time we go back to one of those alien museums,” she sighed. “I think some of my stuff is bound to turn up there.”

“Ah, anything you leave on an alien planet we visit will usually wind up in a museum,” the Doctor nodded. “It’s how they commemorate us,” he grinned, wrapping an arm around Ariel’s shoulders.

“Which is nice and all but I realized there were a few things missing from my room and I might have left them behind. Like I remember having extra pictures of the planet of the Ood that are gone and my journal got lost. I might have left it on the fifteenth broken moon, but I can’t really remember,” she winced.

“Alright,” the Doctor nodded. “We’ll stop by a few and check,” he promised and she smiled at him.

“Where are the Doctor and Miss Parsons?” They heard Winston ask from the map room. They swung around the corner with large grins as they entered.

“Tying up loose ends,” the Doctor announced. “We've taken out all the alien tech Bracewell put in.”

“Won't you reconsider, Doctor?” Winston sighed. “Those Spitfires would win me the war in twenty hours.”

“Exactly,” the Doctor nodded.

“That’s why you can’t have them,” Ariel said.

“But why not?” Winston wondered. “Why can't we put an end to all this misery?” He implored.

“Oh, it doesn't work like that, Winston, and it's going to be tough. There are terrible days to come. The darkest days. But you can do it. You know you can,” the Doctor insisted, clapping Winston on the back with a small smile.

“You’re a beacon of hope, Winston,” Ariel reminded him with a nod.

“Stay with us, and help us win through,” Winston requested. “The world needs the pair of you.”

The Doctor and Ariel shared a grin.

“The world doesn’t need us,” the Doctor said.

“No?” Winston implored with a small frown.

“Not when the world's got Winston Spencer Churchill,” Ariel said with a large grin and Winston chuckled.

“It's been a pleasure, Doctor, Ariel, as always,” Winston said, nodding to each of them in turn.

“Too right,” the Doctor nodded.

“Goodbye, Doctor,” Winston said.

“Oh, shall we say adieu?” The Doctor sighed, pulling Winston into a hug.

“Indeed,” Winston nodded. “Goodbye, Miss Parsons,” he said, nodding to the young brunette.

“Oh, I’ll miss you, Winston,” Ariel sighed, stepping forward and pulling Winston into a hug.

“And I you, Ariel,” Winston nodded, pulling away and turning to Amy. “Goodbye, Miss Pond.”

“It's, it's been amazing, meeting you,” Amy grinned and Ariel smiled at how awestruck she was.

“I’m sure it has,” Winston nodded.

Amy kissed Winston’s cheek and he smiled before beginning to walk away. The Doctor got a cup of tea and started sipping it. Ariel raised an eyebrow at him and he smiled before nodding and passing the cup to her for her to sip.

“Oi, Churchill!” Amy called. “Tardis key. The one you just took from the Doctor!” 

Ariel choked on her tea and the Doctor audibly gasped as he grappled around his suit feeling for the Tardis key.

Winston spun around with the key out and an amused expression. “She's good, Doctor,” he remarked. “As sharp as a pin. Almost as sharp as me,” he hummed, returning the key back to Amy.

“Blimey, good eye, Amy,” Ariel said and Amy grinned.

“K B O,” Winston said, waving goodbye to the trio finally and walking away. 

Ariel spun around and raised an eyebrow at Amy. Amy rolled her eyes and gave the key to the Doctor who simply chuckled and shook his head as he put the key back in his suit.

“Now, it’s time to go to the laboratory,” Ariel nodded.

“What’s in the laboratory?” Amy frowned as the Doctor downed the last of the tea, nodded and began following Ariel.

“Bracewell,” the Doctor replied with a slight shrug.

“So?” Amy prompted, unsure of why they needed to see him again. “Are we saying goodbye to everyone properly this time?”

“Not exactly, the Doctor hummed. “You’re sure about this, right?” He asked, raising an eyebrow at Ariel.

“Have I ever been wrong about this before?” Ariel smirked. “Just trust me like you always do,” she sighed as she shoved the doors to the laboratory open.

Just as she expected, Bracewell was sitting beside his desk awaiting deactivation.

“I've been expecting you, Doctor. I knew this moment had to come,” Bracewell sighed.

“Moment?” The Doctor implored, raising an eyebrow at the scientist.

Bracewell took a deep breath and turned to face the trio. “It’s time to de-activate me.”

The Doctor’s eyes widened as Bracewell confirmed what Ariel had assumed and he turned to her, but she just nodded him on encouraging him to go along with the lie.

“Oh, er, yeah,” the Doctor frowned.

“You have no choice,” Bracewell shrugged. “I'm Dalek technology. Can't allow me to go pottering around down here where I have no business,” he muttered.

“No, you're dead right, Professor,” the Doctor nodded. “A hundred percent right. And by the time I get back here in what, ten minutes?” He asked, turning to the two women.

“Mm, might take a bit longer than that,” Ariel said.

“More like fifteen,” Amy nodded.

“Fifteen minutes, yeah, that's exactly what I'm going to do,” the Doctor agreed. “You are going to be  _ so _ de-activated. It's going be like you've never even been activated.”

“Yeah,” Amy said.

“Fifteen minutes?” Bracewell repeated, still looking as though he had to come to terms with his own death.

Ariel rolled his eyes and fought back chuckling at the very sight. “Might be a bit longer,” she proposed.

“More like twenty, if I'm honest,” the Doctor agreed. “Once Pond, Ariel, and I see to the urgent thing we've got to see to. The, the. See?” He prompted, waving his hand towards Bracewell, imploring him to see what they really meant.

“Very well, Doctor,” Bracewell nodded, stepping back and peering at his surroundings as he gulped harshly. “I shall wait here and prepare myself.”

“That Dalek tech a bit slow on the uptake,” Amy mumbled and Ariel snickered as she nodded in agreement. “That thing we've got to do, going to take half an hour, realistically, isn't it, Doctor?!” Amy exclaimed.

“Easily,” the Doctor shrugged. “So no running off, that's what I'm saying. Don't go trying to find that little Post Office with the ash trees or that girl. What was her name?” He asked.

“Dorabella,” Bracewell replied with a small frown, unsure of what she had to do with his deactivation.

“Dorabella,” the Doctor nodded. “On no account go looking for her. Mind you, you can get a lot done in half an hour.”

“Half an hour is like a lifetime ahead of you,” Ariel smiled and with her words, the penny finally dropped.

Bracewell’s eyes grew wide and he gasped in relief. “Oh, thank you,” he breathed. “Thank you all three of you.”

The Doctor grinned and took Ariel’s hand. “Come along Pond,” he said, nodding to Amy as they left the laboratory and headed back to the Tardis.

“How did you know he was going to be thinking about deactivation?” Amy wondered with a small frown. 

“He’s just had his whole life ripped from him,” Ariel said. “All his memories turned out to be someone else’s and he’s not even human. He was alone in the world so naturally the only thing he’d be thinking of is how it’s only right to die. I’ve seen it before.”

“When?” Amy asked.

“About twice,” Ariel shrugged. “In two different people, but they’re not so alone anymore,” she said, smiling up at the Doctor who just beamed at her and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“Well, wait, there’s something I still don’t quite understand,” Amy frowned. “You said the Daleks were your oldest enemies,” she remembered.

“Yeah?” The Doctor prompted.

“So, you have enemies then?” Amy prompted.

“Everyone has enemies,” the Doctor shrugged.

“Yeah, but mine's the woman outside Budgens with the mental Jack Russell. The two of you have, like, you know, arch-enemies,” Amy hummed, her eyes large as she referred to the different variation of enemy.

“Suppose so,” the Doctor nodded.

“And here's me thinking we'd just be running through time, being daft and fixing stuff. But no, it's  _ dangerous _ ,” Amy sighed.

“Yep, very,” Ariel nodded.

“Is that a problem?” The Doctor asked.

“I'm still here, aren't I?”  Amy smirked, but her smile fell when she saw the Doctor’s fallen face. “You're worried about the Daleks,” she noticed.

“I’m always worried about the Daleks,” the Doctor sighed.

“It’s one of his innate traits,” Ariel nodded in agreement.

“It'll take time though, won't it? I mean, there's still not many of them. They'll need a while to build themselves up,” Amy assumed.

“It's not that,” the Doctor shook his head. “There's something else. Something we've forgotten. Or rather you have,” he amended.

“Me?” Amy frowned.

“You didn't know them, Amy. You'd never seen them before. And you should have done. You should,” he hummed. He took Ariel’s hand and stepped back inside the Tardis ignoring Amy’s expression of newfound fear before she stepped in after them and the Tardis left 1940’s Britain.   



	10. The Time of Angels

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so happy I get to write River again! While I was kind of disappointed at where her story went personally I'm so happy I get to write her interacting with Ariel again.
> 
> If you want to hear a playlist of songs I use for inspiration when writing the Doctor and Ariel I made the playlist I have on Spotify public so if you wanna listen: https://open.spotify.com/user/asgardianmiller/playlist/56OzQTmr7CIauA85hqdleA?si=Vh04nZRbQAmW4JBMnLQUCw

A month later, the Doctor, Ariel and Amy had traveled persistently encountering danger wherever they went.

First, they had gone to Primrose Hall but after they materialized around a boy named Stephen and found out the city was infested by Space Leeches, the Doctor had to use Stephen’s cold that kept him immune to the Space Leeches to weaken them before sending them to another planet.

Then, they battled the joyriders in 1959 and the Doctor bought a street in Ariel’s name in New York City so they could get the best burgers in all of history (or so the Doctor claimed them to be) for free.

Next, they went to the moon again to the exhaustion of Ariel and sought out help from a man called Professor Jackson to prevent jelly-like Talerians from taking over the bodies of the humans on the base. After they revived Jackson from being brainwashed and controlled, Jackson smashed the window in his office killing himself and the Talerians with the low atmosphere to the Doctor’s dismay.

After that, they traveled to 1864 Earth where they prevented the Cei from terraforming the Earth into an aquatic world to use as an outpost during their war with another planet.

After an encounter with the Skeleton People, the Doctor took Amy and Ariel back to New York City claiming he wanted some more of the best burgers in all of history but telling Ariel he really just wanted to look for more cracks in the universe. However, a spaceship being piloted by the Vykoids distracted them from their original intentions and the Doctor and Amy wound up getting kidnapped by them. After being rescued by Ariel, the Doctor reversed their teleporter and sent the Vykoids back to their origin.

After all of this, the Doctor grew weary and decided a quick trip to some museums for Ariel and him to pick up their stuff left behind on various alien planets as they had originally planned during the second world war.

The Doctor marched through the museum, peering at every case they passed in the corridor.

“Wrong. Wrong. Bit right, mostly wrong,” the Doctor remarked. “I love museums,” he sighed.

Ariel giggled and skipped up to his side as she looked through the cases as well.

“Recognize anything?” The Doctor prompted.

“Not yet,” Ariel shrugged.

“Yeah, great,” Amy sighed, clearly exhausted with their presence in some old museum. “Can we go to a planet now? Big spaceship? Churchill's bunker? You two promised me a planet next,” she reminded them.

“Amy, this isn't any old asteroid. It's the Delerium Archive, the final resting place of the headless monks. The biggest museum ever,” the Doctor hummed.

“You've got a time machine. What do you need museums for?” Amy frowned.

“Oh, there’s my stuff!” Ariel exclaimed, grinning down at a small case. “Oh, it’s gone all rustic though,” she winced. “171st century,” she mumbled. The photos she had were heavily stained and her journal was dirty wearing the strains of time.

“Ooo, one of mine,” the Doctor hummed, walking up to the case her belongings were in and finding some of his own. “Also one of mine.”

“Oh, I see,” Amy chuckled as the Doctor grabbed her hand and pulled her along to another case. “It's how you keep score,” she mumbled, glancing down at their belongings in the small glass case.

The Doctor dragged Ariel all the way to a small archaic box, rusted through and upon a single glance worthless.

Amy ran up to them and frowned at the box they stared at. “Oh great, it’s an old box,” she sighed.

“Yeah, what’s so special about this box?” Ariel wondered.

“It's from one of the old starliners. A Home Box,” the Doctor hummed.

“No, bad Time Lord,” Ariel reprimanded, slapping his arm playfully. “Tell the ignorant little humans what a Home Box is.”

The Doctor chuckled and wrapped an arm around her. “Like a black box on a plane, except it homes. Anything happens to the ship, the Home Box flies home with all the flight data,” he explained.

“So?” Amy prompted with a shrug.

“Yeah, it looks like it’s outlived those days,” Ariel mumbled.

“The writing, the graffiti,” the Doctor muttered. “Old High Gallifreyan. The lost language of the Time Lords,” he said.

Ariel and Amy’s eyes widened at the mention of the language of the Time Lords.

“So, someone was burning Gallifreyan into a Home Box?” Ariel concluded with a nod.

“There were days, there were many days, these words could burn stars and raise up empires, and topple gods,” the Doctor hummed.

“What does it say?” Amy wondered.

The Doctor took a deep breath and glanced down at Ariel, obviously irritated with the words but knowing Ariel would recognize them automatically.

“Hello, sweetie,” he translated and Ariel’s heart stopped.

“No,” Ariel breathed. “No, she died,” she remembered, shaking her head.

“She said there was more to come,” the Doctor reminded her. “More days with us traveling together.”

“Wait, who?” Amy asked.

“Doesn’t matter,” the Doctor said, shaking his head. “What matters is we need to get this case open. Come on,” he instructed the women.

Together they got the large case open and placed it to the side without making too much noise. However, at the movement of the glass casing loud blaring alarms began sounding and the Doctor looked like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar as a bunch of guards started running into the corridor they were in.

“Run!” The Doctor cried.

“Oh, you are kidding me,” Amy huffed. When she signed up to see the universe she didn’t sign on for being a thief and running so she wasn’t arrested by a bunch of intergalactic security guards. “Why are we doing this?” She wondered as the Doctor tore Ariel away from the case holding her belongings and bolted to the Tardis.

“Because someone on a spaceship twelve thousand years ago is trying to attract my attention,” the Doctor said, darting inside the Tardis and slamming the door shut behind him. He carried the Home Box to the console and started wiring it up to the scanner.

There was a loud banging on the door and Ariel jumped back at the sound. “You might want to hurry!” She called, running up to the Doctor’s side as he plugged in the Home Box.

“Let's see if we can get the security playback working,” the Doctor hummed. He twisted the wire a bit more and the screen crackled before revealing black and white security footage of River Song on a spaceship.

“The party's over, Doctor Song,” an unseen male voice said. “Yet still you're on board.”

“Sorry, Alistair,” River sighed. “I needed to see what was in your vault. Do you all know what's down there? Any of you? Because I'll tell you something. This ship won't reach its destination.”

The Doctor and Ariel shared fascinated but equally confused frowns.

“Wait till she runs. Don't make it look like an execution,” Alistair instructed his soldiers.

River just took a deep breath and glanced at her wrist. “Triple seven five slash three four nine by ten zero slash twelve acorn,” she said to the security camera. “Oh, and I could do with an air corridor.”

The Doctor immediately bounced into action, setting the Tardis for the coordinates she stated.

“Don’t forget the air corridor!” Ariel called.

“On it!” The Doctor nodded.

“What was that?” Amy frowned to Ariel as the Doctor started up the time rotors. “What did she say?”

“Coordinates,” Ariel smiled.

The Doctor started up the Tardis and they were set into motion, disappearing and reappearing in space just outside the ship River was on.

“Whoo!” The Doctor exclaimed with a large grin once they had arrived.

She flew out towards the Tardis and the Doctor and Ariel bolted to the doors to swing them open for her.

She glided through the air corridor and sailed into the Tardis, landing straight on top of the Doctor as Ariel snorted.

She never wanted to bother with jealousy when it came to River because the River Song she met in the library explained everything to her. River was with the pair of them and loved them both equally but even claimed it felt like the Doctor focused more on Ariel than her.

Ariel was only ever scared the Doctor would one day find someone he loved far more than he had ever loved her and leave her in the dust.

“Doctor?” Amy prompted, frowning at River and the Doctor.

“River?” The Doctor gasped.

Ariel held out her hand for River and the woman got up passing a grateful smile to the brunette before spinning around to watch the ship she was on starting to fly away.

“Follow that ship,” River instructed.

And so they did. They all ran up to the console and River pulled the scanner towards herself and Ariel so they could monitor the ship while the Doctor flew the Tardis quite recklessly.

“They've gone into warp drive!” River announced. “We're losing them. Stay close,” she instructed the Doctor.

“I’m trying!” The Doctor cried just as Ariel was tossed backwards into River.

“Ah, my love, you alright?” River asked.

“Yeah,” Ariel winced. “Forgot to hold on.”

“Doctor, use the stabilisers!” River shouted.

“There aren’t any stabilisers,” the Doctor pouted.

“The blue switches,” River nodded, informing him that there were in fact stabilisers.

“Oh, the blue ones don't do anything, they're just blue,” the Doctor shrugged.

River glanced at Ariel in exasperation. “How does he get by without us?” She wondered.

“Beyond me,” Ariel giggled.

“Yes, they're blue,” River nodded. “Look, they're the blue stabilisers,” she said as she pressed the blue buttons and the Tardis stopped shaking.

The Doctor simply scowled at the buttons.

“See?” River prompted.

“Yeah,” the Doctor sighed. “Well, it's just boring now, isn't it? They're boring-ers. They're blue boring-ers,” he muttered bitterly.

“Ah, Doctor,” Ariel smirked. “They’re still pretty blue buttons,” she assured him but the Doctor was just bitter that River had taken away the mystery of the buttons from him.

“Oh, don’t mind him. He’s just fussy I knew something he didn’t,” River chuckled and Ariel smiled as River flew the Tardis after the ship. “So, how long has it been for you?” River wondered.

“Last time I saw you was his last face,” Ariel said, gesturing to the Doctor who plopped back onto the jumpseat with a bitter expression.

“Ah, so still the early days then,” River hummed. “I take it you know everything, though?”

“As much as I can without spoilers,” Ariel nodded.

“Brilliant,” River smiled.

“Doctor, how come she can fly the Tardis?” Amy wondered, watching as River flew the Tardis by Ariel’s side with a small frown.

“You call that flying the Tardis? Ha!” The Doctor snapped.

River simply rolled her eyes and chuckled at the Doctor. “Okay. I've mapped the probability vectors, done a fold-back on the temporal isometry, charted the ship to its destination, and parked us right along side,” River hummed.

“Parked us?” The Doctor frowned. “We haven't landed,” he said, shaking his head at River.

“Of course we’ve landed,” River nodded. “I just landed her,” she said, smirking in pride at Ariel who just beamed up at her.

“But it didn’t make the noise,” the Doctor reminded them.

“What noise?” River asked.

“You know, the-,” the Doctor said before he began wheezing just as the Tardis did whenever it landed or dematerialized from a location.

Ariel giggled and wrapped her arm around her waist, loving her wonderfully childlike boyfriend more than words could even begin to express.

“It's not supposed to make that noise,” River sighed. “You leave the brakes on.”

“Yeah, well, it's a brilliant noise. I love that noise,” the Doctor retorted. “Come on, Ari. Let's have a look,” he sighed. He grabbed Ariel’s hand and dragged her out to the door while River and Amy stayed beside the scanner.

“No, wait. Environment checks,” River reminded them and Ariel moaned and leant back on the wall beside the door.

“Oh yes, sorry. Quite right. Environment checks,” the Doctor said sarcastically, narrowing his eyes at her as though that were the dumbest idea he had ever heard.

The Doctor opened the Tardis door and peered out. “Nice out,” he said, sneering at River.

Ariel snorted and glanced at River with a widely amused grin.

“We're somewhere in the Garn Belt,” River sighed, reading the information from the scanner. “There's an atmosphere. Early indications suggest that-.”

“We're on Alfava Metraxis, the seventh planet of the Dundra System. Oxygen rich atmosphere, all toxins in the soft band, eleven hour day and chances of rain later,” the Doctor rambled, gathering all that information from a few sniffs and looks out the door.

Ariel giggled and stared at him with sheer awe in her eyes. She never got used to how incredible his ability to do that was. The Doctor beamed at her, happy he could still make her stare at him as though he were the stars in the sky, filling her with wonder and awe after all this time.

“He thinks he’s so hot when he does that,” River sighed.

“He is,” Ariel smirked.

“And you’re the reason he thinks that,” River chuckled, nodding at Ariel.

Ariel simple chuckled and shrugged, completely uncaring if the Doctor believed something she knew to be entirely true.

“How come you can fly the Tardis?” Amy wondered.

“Oh, I learned it a bit ago,” River frowned. “Ariel should know too.”

“Ah, not yet,” Ariel shook her head. “I’m still rubbish at this point in time,” she sighed.

“Oh, don’t worry, my love. You’ll get lessons from the very best,” River assured her with a smile.

“Well, yeah,” the Doctor smirked, acting as though he wasn’t allowing his ego to get the best of him and failing.

“It's a shame you were busy that day,” River hummed and the smile slipped right off the Doctor’s face making Ariel snicker at the sight. “Right then, why did they land here?” River sighed.

“They didn’t land,” the Doctor shook his head.

“Sorry?” River prompted with a small frown.

“You should've checked the Home Box,” the Doctor reminded her. “It crashed,” he said.

The Doctor guided River to the door and opened it for her, letting her out before closing it tightly behind her before Ariel could walk out after her.

“Doctor,” Ariel whined.

“Don’t,” the Doctor warned. “We’re not helping her with all of this again.”

“Technically, you were an unwitting participant last time,” Ariel remembered when he got the anonymous message on his psychic paper asking him to the Library.

“And I’m not going to be witting this time!” The Doctor explained, running back up to the console to get them out of there.

“Hold on, explain,” Amy frowned. “Who is that, why does she keep calling you love, and how did she do the museum thing?” She asked.

“It's a long story and we don't know most of it,” the Doctor shrugged.

“She’s our girlfriend,” Ariel smiled and the Doctor just scowled at the mention of it. “From the future, that is,” she shrugged.

“What?!” Amy exclaimed with large eyes. “Hold on, both of you?” She asked, pointing a finger at the couple.

“Yes, yes,” the Doctor sighed. “But that doesn’t matter,” he mumbled.

“Oh, it does to me,” Amy laughed. “So, both of you are dating her. I’d have thought you’d both be too jealous to let the other date anybody else,” she remarked.

“Oh, we are,” Ariel nodded. “That’s why we’re both with her,” she smiled.

“This is rich!” Amy exclaimed with a laugh. “Oh my God!”

“Right then,” the Doctor sighed. “Off we go.”

“What are you doing?” Amy asked.

“Leaving,” the Doctor muttered. “She's got where she wants to go, let's go where we want to go,” he smiled.

“Are you basically running away?” Amy implored.

Both the Doctor and Ariel nodded. “Yep,” they said in unison.

Amy rolled her eyes. She hated when they did that. “Why?” Amy wondered.

“Because she's the future. _Our_ future,” the Doctor sighed and glanced down at Ariel with sad eyes. He couldn’t imagine being in love with anyone but her after she had helped him recover from losing Rose and he didn’t even want to engage in another situation with her where River would be flirting with Ariel and rambling on about how she knew much more about them than they knew about her. It frustrated him to even be around her for too long.

He was sure his future self would be far kinder to the future River, but at the moment he hated the assumption that he was supposed to fall in love with a woman he knew nothing about.

“Can you run away from that?” Amy wondered with a small frown.

“He can,” Ariel nodded.

“I can run away from anything I like,” the Doctor agreed. “Time is not the boss of me,” he hummed.

“So, what?” Ariel prompted. “Are we just popping away from one alien planet to some other random one?” She wondered.

“Hang on, is that a planet out there?” Amy frowned.

“Yes, of course it’s a planet,” the Doctor scoffed.

“You two promised me a planet,” Amy reminded the pair of them with an anxious smirk. “Five minutes?” She requested.

The Doctor turned to Ariel and she grinned at him, silently begging for them to stay. The Doctor let out a defeated sigh and hung his head.

“Okay, five minutes,” the Doctor nodded.

Amy squealed and high-fived Ariel in victory. “Yes!” Amy exclaimed, bolting out of the console room to the front doors.

“But that's all, because I'm telling you now, that woman is not dragging me into anything,” the Doctor moaned.

“Oh, Doctor,” Ariel sighed, looping her arm through his as they walked out after Amy. “She already has.”

“Don’t remind me of it,” the Doctor grumbled.

Ariel giggled and kissed him on the cheek. “It’s alright. Come on,” she said, tugging his arm out the door.

They walked outside and spotted the once sleek spaceship in a burning wreck sticking out of a rock-carved building.

“What caused it to crash?” Amy wondered.

“Not me,” River shrugged.

Ariel snorted. “Sure ‘bout that?” She prompted and River smiled.

“Nah, the airlock would've sealed seconds after you blew it,” the Doctor shook his head, assuring the women it wasn’t River. “According to the Home Box, the warp engines had a phase shift. No survivors,” he sighed.

“A phase shift would have to be sabotage,” River frowned. “I did warn them,” she shrugged.

“About what?” The Doctor asked.

“What about the building?” Ariel wondered, pointing up to the building the ship had crashed on and wondering if they would need to search for survivors.

“The building was empty,” River shook her head, assuring they would not be searching for any surviving humans. “Aplan temple. Unoccupied for centuries,” she hummed.

“Aren’t you going to introduce us?”Amy implored, nodding to River and grinning.

“Amy Pond, Professor River Song,” the Doctor sighed, vaguely gesturing to the woman.

River spun around with wide eyes and Ariel almost automatically knew the Doctor had screwed up. It was hard holding conversation with a woman who you couldn’t talk to about the only information you knew of her.

“Ah, I'm going to be a Professor some day, am I?” River hummed, beaming at the Doctor. “How exciting,” she chuckled as the Doctor squeezed his eyes shut and winced at his blunder. “Spoilers.”

Ariel giggled and walked over to the Doctor, wrapping her arm around him and resting her head on his chest.

“I hate being here,” the Doctor grumbled as he wrapped his arm around her.

“I know,” Ariel sighed. “But it’s just for a bit,” she assured him.

“Yeah,” the Doctor grumbled, still seeming upset by the idea.

“Yeah, but who is she and how did she do that?” Amy wondered. “She just left you a note in a museum.”

“Two things always guaranteed to show up in a museum. The Home Box of category four starliner and sooner or later, them. It's how they keep score,” River hummed.

“I know,” Amy laughed.

“It’s hilarious, isn’t it?” River chuckled.

“I'm nobody's taxi service,” the Doctor snapped. “I'm not going to be there to catch you every time you feel like jumping out of a spaceship,” he hissed.

“And you are so wrong,” River laughed.

“Are sure there are no survivors?” Ariel frowned, stepping forward and trying to defuse the Doctor’s tension. “You keep scanning,” she observed.

“There's one survivor,” she nodded. “There's a thing in the belly of that ship that can't ever die,” River hummed and the Doctor perked up making River chuckle. “Now he's listening,” she smiled.

River sighed and pulled out her communicator to talk to somebody about the crash. “You lot in orbit yet?” She implored. “Yeah, I saw it land. I'm at the crash site,” she nodded. “Try and home in on my signal,” she instructed. She spun around and lifted her communicator in the air. “Doctor, can you sonic me? I need to boost the signal so we can use it as a beacon,” she said.

The Doctor did so begrudgingly and Ariel giggled at his reaction. He still hadn’t grown any happier being around her since the Library.

“Ooo, Doctor you sonicked her,” Amy hummed and Ariel barked out a laugh while the Doctor rolled his eyes and pulled Ariel closer to his chest.

River walked back up to them with a sigh. “We have a minute,” she nodded and pulled out the small blue diary Ariel remembered seeing in the Library. “Shall we?”

River flipped through her Tardis-style diary and Ariel grew ansty. She really wanted to see what was in the diary but she knew she couldn’t. If she stepped forward and caught sight of the wrong page she could see a pivotal point in her timeline that she really wasn’t meant to catch.

“Where are we up to?” River asked. “Have we done the Bone Meadows?”

“What’s the book?” Amy frowned, stepping forward and trying to peer over River’s shoulder at it.

“Stay away from it,” the Doctor advised.

“What are the Bone Meadows?” Ariel wondered.

“Ah, he would’ve told you if he’s already passed it in his timeline,” River nodded before continuing to flip through her diary to find where they would be.

“What is it though?” Amy persisted.

“Her diary,” the Doctor replied.

“ _Our_ diary,” River corrected.

“Her past, our future,” the Doctor shrugged. “Time travel. We keep meeting in the wrong order,” he mumbled.

Just then, four small tornadoes dropped four army men onto the planet’s surface.

“Blimey, what’s that?” Ariel frowned.

“Ah, finally they’re here,” River sighed.

One of the men marched up to them and frowned at the Doctor, Ariel and Amy.

“You promised me an army, Doctor Song,” the man reminded River who just smiled at him.

“No, I promised you the equivalent of an army,” River corrected him. “This is the Doctor and Ariel Parsons,” she introduced, nodding to the couple.

Ariel glanced up at the Doctor with unsure eyes but he just nodded to her and held out his hand to shake the man’s hand.

“Father Octavian, Sir. Ma’am,” the man introduced himself, nodding to each of them in turn as he shook their hands. “Bishop, second class. Twenty clerics at my command. The troops are already in the drop ship and landing shortly. Doctor Song was helping us with a covert investigation. Has Doctor Song explained what we're dealing with?” He asked.

“Doctor, what do you know of the Weeping Angels?” River asked and the Doctor and Ariel shared a wide-eyed gaze.

~~~

That night, the troops Father Octavian spoke of arrived with their supplies in a small drop ship, like a container unit, and set up came around it.

The Doctor, Ariel and Amy all followed Father Octavian as he marched through the camp debriefing them on what they were facing.

“The Angel, as far as we know, is still trapped in the ship. Our mission is to get inside and neutralise it,” Father Octavian explained. “We can't get through up top, we'd be too close to the drives.”

“Do we have any other way in?” Ariel asked.

“According to this,” he said, holding up a small portable computer. “Behind the cliff face there's a network of catacombs leading right up to the temple. We can blow through the base of the cliffs, get into the entrance chamber, then make our way up.”

“Oh, good,” the Doctor sighed, sarcasm evident in his tone.

“Good, sir?” Father Octavian prompted.

“Catacombs,” the Doctor muttered. “Probably dark ones. Dark catacombs. _Great_ ,” he said and Ariel couldn’t help but let out a snicker.

“Technically, I think it’s called a maze of the dead,” Father Octavian shrugged.

“Oh, it just keeps getting better,” Ariel moaned, resting her head in her hands.

“Yeah, you can stop any time you like,” the Doctor nodded, clearly already unnerved by what the Father had said so far.

“Father Octavian?” One of the soldiers prompted from a far and Octavian turned to see the problem before turning back to Ariel and the Doctor with a sigh.

“Excuse me,” Father Octavian nodded to the couple before heading off to address the matter.

“You're letting people call you sir, and you ma’am,” Amy remarked, frowning at the couple as Ariel sat beside a small table and glanced through all the information the Church had picked up about the Weeping Angel in the shipwreck. “You never do that. So, whatever a Weeping Angel is, it's really bad, yeah?” Amy assumed.

“Now that's interesting,” the Doctor hummed, glancing over Ariel’s head at some blueprints of the catacombs. “You're still here. Which part of wait in the Tardis till I tell you it's safe was so confusing?” He wondered, spinning around and glaring at Amy.

“Oh, give her a break,” Ariel sighed. “She’s curious,” she shrugged, hardly looking up from her papers.

“Curiosity isn’t going to help when she blinks in front of the Angel,” the Doctor retorted.

“Ooo, you are all Mister Grumpy Face today,” Amy pouted.

“A Weeping Angel, Amy, is the deadliest, most powerful, most malevolent life form evolution has ever produced, and right now one of them is trapped inside that wreckage and we’re supposed to climb in after it with a screwdriver and a torch, and assuming we survive the radiation long enough and assuming the whole ship doesn't explode in our faces, do something incredibly clever which we haven't actually thought of yet. That's our day. That's what we’re up to,” the Doctor explained quickly. “Any questions?” He prompted.

Amy was silent for a moment and Ariel thought she had grasped the true gravity of the situation until the moment she actually posed her question.

“Is River Song your wife?” Amy wondered. “Both of you. Is she a wife to the pair of you? Because she's someone from your future, and the way she talks to you, I've only ever seen Ariel do that. She's kind of like, you know, heel, boy, and you said you were both dating her,” she remembered. “She's Mrs Doctor and Mrs Ariel Parsons from the future, isn't she? Is she going to be your wife one day?” She asked.

Ariel rolled her eyes and let her head fall on the table before taking a deep breath and deciding to ignore the question entirely. It was the only way she could get through it without screaming. Not at Amy, but at herself in frustration.

“Yes, you’re right,” the Doctor sighed. “I am definitely Mister Grumpy Face today,” he mumbled and Ariel chuckled.

“Doctor!” River called from the drop module.

“Oh, and I was just getting onto something,” Ariel moaned.

“Ariel?” River prompted.

“Oops,” Amy smirked. “Her indoors,” she giggled.

Ariel got up with a sigh and the Doctor grabbed her hand as they headed to the drop module with Amy following closely behind.

“Father Octavian?”

“Why do they call him Father?” Amy wondered with a small frown.

“He's their Bishop, they're his Clerics,” the Doctor said. “It's the fifty first Century. The Church has moved on,” he sighed.

“He’s still a Bishop, they’re just a bit more army based now,” Ariel shrugged as they headed inside the drop ship.

There on a small screen on the far wall was a grainy image of a Weeping Angel with its back to them. It had its face in its hand and the video looped through four seconds of footage.

Ariel jumped at the very sight.

“What do you think?” River asked. “It's from the security cameras in the Byzantium vault. I ripped it when I was on board. Sorry about the quality. It's four seconds. I've put it on loop,” she shrugged.

“Yeah, it's an Angel, the Doctor nodded. “Hands covering its face,” he hummed.

“God, I still hate just looking at them,” Ariel winced.

“You two have encountered the Angels before?” Father Octavian prompted with a small frown.

“Not at the same time,” the Doctor said, shaking his head. “I did once on Earth a long time ago.”

“And I did at Buckingham Palace not too long ago. He was dealing with another matter at the time so he popped in a couple times to tell me all he could about them but we were on our own both times,” Ariel nodded.

“But both those groups were scavengers,” the Doctor sighed. “Barely surviving.”

“But it’s just a statue,” Amy reason with a small frown.

“It’s a statue when you see it,” River nodded.

“Where did it come from?” The Doctor asked.

“Oh, pulled from the ruins of Razbahan, end of last century,” River sighed. “It's been in private hands ever since. Dormant all that time.”

“There’s a difference between dormant and patient,” the Doctor mumbled.

“Are there any others?” Ariel asked. “Maybe, a small collection down there?” She proposed.

“No,” River shook her head. “As far as we know and I’ve seen this was the only one on the ship.”

“Good,” Ariel sighed. One Angel was tough enough but if they had to worry about a group or even an army they’d be in serious trouble.

“What's that mean, it's a statue when you see it?” Amy wondered.

“The Weeping Angels can only move if they're unseen,” River explained. “So legend has it,” she shrugged.

“It’s not legend,” the Doctor and Ariel said in unison.

“It's a quantum lock,” the Doctor said. “In the sight of any living creature the Angels literally cease to exist. They're just stone. The ultimate defence mechanism,” he hummed.

“What, being a stone?” Amy frowned.

“Of course,” Ariel nodded. “You can’t kill a stone with bullets. They’ve made themselves impossible to kill because any time you look at them they’re just stone figures.”

“They’re a stone until you turn your back,” the Doctor mumbled, nodding along with Ariel’s words.

With that, they all headed out of the drop ship to get a better idea of just how they were going to stop the Weeping Angel.

“Wouldn’t it have been damaged in the shipwreck?” Ariel wondered with a small frown. “I mean what exactly would’ve happened?” She asked.

“The hyperdrive would've split on impact. That whole ship's going to be flooded with drive burn radiation, cracked electrons, gravity storms. Deadly to almost any living thing,” the Doctor sighed.

“Deadly to an Angel?” Father Octavian hoped.

“Dinner to an Angel,” the Doctor corrected. “The longer we leave it there, the stronger it will grow. Who built that temple? Are they still around?” He wondered, turning back to River who had her portable computer already loading the information.

“The Aplans,” River replied. “Indigenous life form. They died out four hundred years ago,” she said and the Doctor sighed in defeat. He had hoped that if they could find the builders of that temple they could find an easy way to get light in there or maybe not be shrouded in darkness when they try to head in.

“Two hundred years later, the planet was terraformed,” Father Octavian added with a nod. “Currently there are six billion human colonists.”

Ariel’s eyes widened and the Doctor just laughed.

“Whoo!” The Doctor exclaimed and Ariel giggled at his reaction. “You lot, you're everywhere. You're like rabbits!” The Doctor chuckled and Ariel laughed as he wrapped an arm around her with a sigh. “I'll never get done saving you,” he mumbled.

“Sir, if there is a clear and present danger to the local population-,” Father Octavian began.

“Oh, there is,” the Doctor sighed.

“Bad as it gets,” Ariel nodded in agreement.

“Bishop, lock and load,” the Doctor instructed.

Father Octavian inhaled sharply and turned to one of his Clerics. “Verger, how are we doing with those explosives?” He called. “Doctor Song, with me,” he instructed, waving River along with him.

“Two minutes,” River nodded. “Sweetie, love, I need you two,” she said, gesturing for the pair of them to follow her.

“Sweetie?” The Doctor frowned.

“Oh, she called you that in the Library this is nothing new,” Ariel moaned, smiling gently up at him as she looped her arm through his.

The Doctor just grinned down at her and pulled her close as he walked up to River.

“Anybody need me?!” Amy yelled. “Nobody!?” She cried. With a sigh, she headed back into the drop ship

River passed the Doctor and Ariel a book she had found. “I found this,” she said. “Definitive work on the Angels. Well, the only one. Written by a madman. It's barely readable, but I've marked a few passages,” she shrugged.

The Doctor rifled through the pages with a sigh before passing it to Ariel so she could look through it.

“Not bad,” the Doctor remarked. “Bit slow in the middle. Didn't you hate his girlfriend? No. No, hang on. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait,” the Doctor rambled and Ariel’s eyes widened as he snatched he book back from her and sniffed it.

“What is it?” Ariel asked. “Did you find something?”

“Doctor Song?!” Amy called, peering out of the drop ship. “Did you have more than one clip of the Angel?” She asked.

“No just the four seconds,” River said, shaking her head.

“This book is wrong,” the Doctor said. “What's wrong with this book? It's wrong,” he hummed.

“Something written?” Ariel guessed.

“No, no, it’s not that,” the Doctor shook his head. “The descriptions are all well and good.”

“Then something missing,” Ariel nodded. “Something left out,” she said.

“It’s gotta be that,” the Doctor mumbled. “But what did he leave out?” He sighed.

“It's so strange when you go all baby face,” River remarked with a small frown. “I’m assuming he did that one for you?” She prompted with a small smirk and all Ariel could do was blush. “How early is this for you?” She asked.

“Very early,” the Doctor sighed.

“So neither of you know who I am yet?” River assumed with a knowing grin.

“No, who are you?” Ariel retorted.

“Spoilers,” River smiled.

“How do you know who I am?” The Doctor wondered. “I don't always look the same,” he said.

“I've got pictures of all your faces,” River shrugged. “You never show up in the right order, though. I need the spotter's guide,” she sighed.

“I could do with that,” Ariel hummed.

“Oh, you’re the one who gave it to me,” River smiled. “My early days, though.”

“Ah,” Ariel nodded, grinning at the Doctor who’s eyes grew large as he flipped through the book. “What? What is it?” Ariel implored.

“Pictures,” the Doctor hummed. “Why aren’t there pictures?” He wondered.

“What, seriously?” Ariel frowned, peering over his arm as he rifled through the book. “None in the entire book?”

The Doctor shook his head. “This whole book, it's a warning about the Weeping Angels, so why no pictures? Why not show us what to look out for?” The Doctor wondered.

“Well, there was that bit about images,” River reminded him with a nod. “What was that?”

“Yes, hang on,” the Doctor nodded. He flipped through the book and landed on one page with several highlights across it. He held it out so Ariel could read with him. “That which holds the image of an angel becomes itself an angel,” he read.

“What does that mean?” River frowned. “An image of a Angel becomes itself an Angel.”

“Images, like photographs or something holding a picture of an Angel must become an Angel. Something maybe not completely physical, but enough to send you back,” Ariel mumbled. “Like,” she breathed, and looked up at the Doctor with large eyes. “A video,” she gasped.

The Doctor’s eyes grew wide and he grabbed her hand before bolting up to the entrance of the drop ship immediately trying to sonic it open. “Amy!” The Doctor cried.

“Doctor!” Amy yelled.

“Amy, are you alright?!” Ariel exclaimed.

“What’s happening?!” The Doctor shouted.

“Doctor? Doctor, it’s coming out of the television!” Amy cried. “The Angel is here.”

The Doctor tried to sonic the keypad lock but it didn’t work. “Don't take your eyes off it. Keep looking. It can't move if you're looking,” he instructed.

“What’s wrong?” River asked, unsure of why they weren’t inside the drop ship yet.

“It’s not working,” Ariel frowned.

“Deadlocked,” the Doctor announced, immediately jumping away to find another way inside.

“There is no deadlock,” River mumbled, running up to the keypad to try and type in the passcode.

“Don’t blink, Amy,” the Doctor said. “Don’t even blink.”

“Doctor,” Amy gasped.

“What are you doing?” River asked, frowning at him as he pulled some wires out of a control panel.

“Cutting the power. It's using the screen, I'm turning the screen off. No good, it's deadlocked the whole system,” the Doctor sighed, tossing the wires back inside the panel.

“There’s no deadlock,” River insisted.

“There is now!” The Doctor exclaimed, running back up to the front door.

“The Angel must have gotten inside the system,” Ariel shrugged, running after the Doctor.

“But how could it do that?” River wondered.

“An Angel is manifesting itself out of just four seconds of footage. Hell, if I’m able to explain anything that’s going on,” Ariel sighed.

“Help me!” Amy cried.

“Can you turn it off?” Ariel wondered.

“That’s a good idea,” the Doctor nodded. “The screen, Amy. Can you turn it off?”

“I tried,” Amy moaned.

“Try again,” the Doctor sighed, unsure of what else he could offer her. “But don’t take your eyes off the Angel.”

“I’m not,” Amy assured them.

“Each time it moves, it'll move faster,” the Doctor informed her. “Don't even blink,” he warned.

River pulled out a pistol torch and tried desperately to cut through the door as Ariel pulled out the door with everything she had in her and the Doctor pulled off the keypad and tried to sonic the wires.

“I'm not blinking. Have you ever tried not blinking?” Amy sighed.

“Yeah, I have!” Ariel exclaimed. “Try winking. Use one eye to look at it and close the other,” she advised. “It’ll help.”

“But keep trying to switch it off,” the Doctor nodded.

“It just keeps switching on,” Amy frowned.

“That’s the Angel,” the Doctor muttered and Ariel’s eyes widened.

“But it’s just a recording,” Amy insisted, her tone breathy and terrified as she watched the Angel.

“No, anything that takes the image of an Angel is an Angel. What are you doing?” He asked River, frowning at her.

“I’m trying to cut through,” River sighed.

“It’s not even warm,” Ariel said, shaking her head.

“There is no way in. It's not physically possible,” the Doctor insisted.

“Doctor, what's it going to do to me?” Amy asked.

“Just keep looking at it. Don't stop looking,” the Doctor persisted. “Ari, can you get me the book?” He requested.

Ariel nodded and bolted away from the drop ship. She flipped through the pages furiously to find what to do when faced with an Angel. Luckily, River wrote small descriptions at the top of each new section of advice the author gave. When she found what she was looking for, she raced back up to the Doctor and passed him the book.

The Doctor scanned the page and his eyes widened. “Amy, not the eyes,” the Doctor breathed. “Look at the Angel but don't look at the eyes,” he instructed.

“Why?” Amy wondered.

“What is it?” River asked.

“The eyes are not the windows of the soul,” the Doctor read. “They are the doors. Beware what may enter there.”

“The image of an Angel,” Ariel breathed, nodding as she understood what it meant. “And an image of an Angel becomes itself an Angel.”

“Ariel, what did you say?!” Amy exclaimed.

“Don’t look at the eyes!” The Doctor cried.

“No, about images,” Amy shook her head. “What did you say about images?” She asked.

“Okay, hold this,” Amy sighed. “One, two, three, four,” she said. Inside the drop ship, she used the remote to pause the monitor right on the loop. Once the Angel disappeared, the deadlock was gone and Ariel, the Doctor and River all burst into the drop ship.

The Doctor immediate ran forward as the monitor switched off and pulled the plug out of the screen before sonicking it.

“Bloody hell, what did you do?” Ariel wondered, staring at the powered off screen in awe.

“I froze it,” Amy shrugged a small grin on her lips. “There was a sort of blip on the tape and I froze it on the blip. It wasn't the image of an Angel any more. That was good, yeah? It was, wasn't it? That was pretty good,” she hummed.

“That was amazing,” River nodded.

“River, Ariel, hug Amy,” the Doctor instructed.

“Why?” Amy wondered.

“Because I’m busy,” the Doctor shrugged.

“I’m fine,” Amy assured him with a sigh as both Ariel and River took turns hugging her.

“You’re brilliant,” River smiled at Amy as she hugged her.

“Thanks,” Amy sighed. “Yeah, I kind of creamed it, didn't I?” She smirked.

“So, it was here?” Ariel frowned, walking up to the Doctor’s side as River continued to congratulate Amy. “That was the Angel?” She said, nodding to the screen.

“That was a projection of the Angel,” the Doctor said. “It's reaching out, getting a good look at us. It's no longer dormant,” he hummed.

Ariel sucked in a sharp breath but before she could say anything more, there was a loud explosion outside that pulled their attention elsewhere.

They ran out and Father Octavian was standing by monitoring as the Clerics used explosives to get into the catacombs.

“Doctor? Ariel?” Father Octavian prompted. “We’re through,” he announced.

“Now it begins,” the Doctor sighed, grabbing Ariel’s hand and heading out of the drop ship.

“It’s weird having them look at me like I’m as important as you,” Ariel remarked.

“You are as important,” the Doctor frowned, unsure of why she should think anything different.

“You know what I mean,” Ariel sighed. “You’re the super important space alien that saves the day and is a thousand years old,” she shrugged. “I’m the tiny unimportant human that helps you from time to time.”

“You are important,” the Doctor insisted with a nod. “You’ve saved the day when I couldn’t even think of what to do and have far more love in your heart than there ever was in two of mine.”

Ariel blushed and hung her head. “Still,” she mumbled. “You’re more well known,” she shrugged. “You’ve been at it for centuries.”

“Oh, remind me how old I am why don’t you?” The Doctor moaned.

Ariel giggled and wrapped her arm around his waist as he draped his over her shoulders and pulled her closer.

“You’re brilliant, Ariel Parsons and don’t you think any less,” he instructed.

Ariel beamed at him, eternally grateful for the man who had save whole galaxies and yet looked at her as though she was the greatest being in existence.

The Doctor helped Ariel down the rope ladder into a very large underground space. Ariel grinned at the sight of him holding out his arms to help her down. She hopped off the ladder and he chuckled as he caught her in his arms. She giggled when he placed her on the ground and spun her around to place a soft but sweet kiss on her lips.

River smiled softly at the pair of them. When she first met the pair of them, she had been entirely jealous of their close bond. She fancied the pair of them and she had envied the fact that they could never love her as deeply as they loved each other.

“Do we have a gravity globe?” The Doctor asked, his arms were still wrapped around Ariel’s waist, as he peered over his shoulder to look at Father Octavian.

“What’s a gravity globe?” Ariel frowned.

“Grav glove,” Father Octavian called to one of the Clerics and the Cleric pulled out a small globe and passed it to the Doctor.

“You’ll like this,” the Doctor smirked. He handed the gravity globe to Ariel. “Kick this as hard as you can,” he instructed.

Ariel frowned but accepted the gravity globe and did as he said. She kicked it as hard as possible and it soared up into the air, shining brightly and illuminating the catacombs.

“Wow,” Ariel breathed, her eyes wide as she gazed up at the gravity globe. “That’s incredible,” she gasped.

“I know,” the Doctor smiled softly, watching her rather than glancing around at the catacombs as the bishop and all the Clerics were doing.

“Where are we?” Amy asked, glancing around with a small frown. “What is this?”

“It's an Aplan Mortarium, sometimes called a Maze of the Dead,” River said.

“Still loving that name,” Ariel remarked sarcastically, shining her torch at a few statues hidden in the shadows.

“What’s that?” Amy asked.

“Well, if you happen to be a creature of living stone,” the Doctor hummed. “The perfect hiding place,” he sighed as he peered around at the countless statues flooding the area.

“I guess this makes it a bit trickier,” Father Octavian observed.

“Just _a bit_ ,” Ariel frowned.

“A bit, yeah,” the Doctor sighed, rolling his eyes at Father Octavian.

“A stone Angel on the loose amongst stone statues<” Father Octavian said. “A lot harder than I'd prayed for,” he muttered.

“A needle in a haystack,” River sighed.

“A needle that looks like hay. A hay-like needle of death. A hay-alike needle of death in a haystack of, er, statues,” the Doctor frowned. He glanced down at Ariel and found her staring up at him with wide alarmed eyes.

“A bit too far?” Ariel proposed.

“No, you’re right, yours was fine,” the Doctor nodded to River, sighing softly as he draped his arm over Ariel’s shoulders.

“Right,” Father Octavian nodded. “Check every single statue in this chamber. You know what you're looking for. Complete visual inspection,” he instructed.

“And don’t wander off alone,” Ariel advised. “You wander off alone it’ll just make it easier for the Angel to pick us off.”

“One question,” Father Octavian said, holding up a single finger. “How do we fight it?” He asked.

“We find it, and hope,” the Doctor sighed.

“That’s about the best we got,” Ariel shrugged.

They marched forward and Ariel looped her arm though the Doctor’s. She made sure to keep her torch shined on any statue that was even slightly encased in shadows as they trudged onward.

“Do you ever think about what happened to him?” Ariel mumbled.

“Happened to who?” The Doctor frowned.

“The Master,” Ariel replied and the Doctor sucked in a sharp breath.

“Why do you think about that?” He wondered.

“Well, it’s just,” Ariel sighed. “I know he forced me to kill and was horrid, but at the end of the day he saved our lives by going back to Gallifrey,” she shrugged. “I gotta think about what happened after that.”

“I don’t know,” the Doctor admitted. “He landed in the Time War I suppose, and after that-.”

“He died,” Ariel nodded. “Well, it’s just as well,” she sighed. “I kinda wish it would’ve worked out though, you know? He didn’t force me to kill and he got the chance to actually travel with us. I know you two were close.”

“We had a pact, me and him,” the Doctor sighed. “Every star in the universe, we were going to see them all. But he was too busy burning them.”

“If he had survived do you ever think he could’ve changed?” Ariel wondered.

“Maybe,” the Doctor shrugged. “If he had actually cared enough to stop trying to destroy the Earth for a moment and listen he might’ve gotten the chance to change,” he nodded.

“I guess we’ll never know,” Ariel sighed. “But moving on from that, you never told me what happened on your last trip before you, you know,” she said, gesturing to his new body. “Did you go to the future with some of our mates?” She wondered.

“Well, a few,” the Doctor nodded. “Martha and Mickey got together,” he said.

“Oh, I knew they’d be brilliant together,” Ariel smiled. “Mickey totally suits Unit.”

“Actually, I think I heard them mentioning they were freelancing,” the Doctor shrugged.

“Really?” Ariel gasped. “Martha, freelancing?” She frowned. “Never thought I’d see the day,” she hummed.

“That makes two of us,” the Doctor chuckled. “Hold on, I’m gonna scan,” the Doctor mumbled, pulling a portable computer out of his suit.

“When did you get that?” Ariel frowned.

“Nicked it from the desk when you were looking through the blueprints,” the Doctor shrugged. “Reckon Father Octavian left if behind.”

“Ah, we’ve gone from commandeered to nicked,” Ariel hummed. “You’re growing up,” she smiled.

The Doctor chuckled and shook his head. “Never mind that,” the Doctor sighed. “For some reason I’m getting the feeling this isn’t going to be as simple as just getting one Angel,” he mumbled.

“Oh, is it ever?” Ariel moaned.

“Touché,” the Doctor smirked.

Meanwhile, just behind them River and Amy were chatting animatedly about the Doctor and Ariel.

“So what are they like?” Amy wondered. “In the future, I mean. Because you know them in the future, don’t you?”

“What? The Doctor and Ariel?” River frowned and Amy nodded. “Well, they’re, you know,” she sighed. “Just the Doctor and Ariel,” she shrugged.

“Oh. Well, that's very helpful. Mind if I write that down?” Amy sighed, sarcasm dripping from her words as she chuckled and rolled her eyes. “But how does this work, ‘cause Ariel said the three of you were all together.”

“Yes, we are,” River nodded.

“Sorry, what?” The Doctor prompted, raising an eyebrow at them.

“Talking about you,” River smiled.

“I wasn’t listening,” the Doctor huffed. “I’m busy.”

“He was listening,” Ariel assured them with a nod. “He told me to hush three times,” she chuckled.

The Doctor shot her a scowl making her laugh. He turned back to River and Amy with a sigh. “She’s lying,” he mumbled, shaking his head.

“Ah,” River hummed, nodding at him and shining her torch on the portable computer. “The other way up,” she instructed.

The Doctor glanced down at the computer and rolled his eyes before turning it the right way up. “Yeah,” the Doctor sighed.

“You tell him he’s being way too obvious,” River instructed the brunette with a smile.

Ariel giggled and shook her head, resting her chin on the Doctor’s back as he knelt down to scan the entire form of one of the statues. The Doctor smiled and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close so she was practically on top of him. Ariel giggled and kissed his cheek happily while River beamed at the pair of them.

“You are so married to them,” Amy smirked.

“Oh, Amy, Amy, Amy,” River sighed. “Look at those two,” she said, nodding to the pair laughing together. “Do you really think it could be anything that simple?” She wondered.

“Yep,” Amy grinned.

“You're good,” River sighed. “I'm not saying you're right, but you are very good,” she remarked and Amy just chuckled.

“Alright!” The Doctor exclaimed, jumping up and pulling Ariel close to his side. “Time to keep moving,” he sighed.

“Did you find anything?” River asked.

“Inconclusive,” the Doctor said, shaking his head. “We’ve got to keep searching.”

“So, nothing’s changed,” Ariel smiled.

They started marching forward and the Doctor took a deep breath, frowning as he looked down at Ariel.

“Ariel,” the Doctor sighed.

“Uh oh,” Ariel frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“You being jealous of Amy,” he remembered. “Was that because she was a new companion?” He wondered.

“Maybe,” Ariel mumbled. “I don’t really know,” she admitted with a small shrug. “At first I thought that was why but when you pulled Amy back into the Tardis and you had her arms wrapped around you, she just looked at you in this way that scared me to death. When I saw it I couldn’t help but think of you and Rose and how when she got back she thought you two were going to reunite but you said you wanted to be with me. I was scared to death that I was just going to be the next Rose and that you were gonna fall in love with her and I would be left behind in some parallel world.”

The Doctor sighed softly and smiled at her.  “I could never leave you behind Ariel,” he assured her. “I only suggested that we take Amy on because I wanted to know just how the crack in her wall had affected her and to see if we could learn more about it, but if you’d rather I sent her back home and-.”

“No, it’s alright,” Ariel assured him, shaking her head. “I was just paranoid,” she shrugged.

“Are you sure?” The Doctor prompted. “Because if you’re uncomfortable with her being here-.”

“It’s alright,” Ariel promised with a nod. “But would you really be willing to send someone back home just ‘cos they made me uncomfortable?” She wondered.

“Of course,” the Doctor shrugged, grinning at her. “I’d do whatever it takes to keep you smiling,” he said and Ariel beamed at him.

“I love you so much,” Ariel grinned.

The Doctor smiled and leant down, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. Before the kiss could grow into something more they were interrupted by loud gunfire rolling across the catacombs.

They jumped apart and glanced at River and Amy with large eyes.

“That sounded like it came from the entrance chamber,” River breathed.

“Let’s go,” the Doctor nodded. He grabbed Ariel’s hand and they all bolted back to the entrance chamber to find a young Cleric panting as he kept his gun aimed at a still statue riddled with bullets.

“Sorry, sorry,” the Cleric sighed. “I thought. I thought it looked at me,” he mumbled.

“Could that be possible?” Ariel wondered, murmuring to the Doctor.

“I don’t know yet,” the Doctor muttered. “I’m still working out why the first Angel hasn’t popped up. If it’s growing in strength it shouldn’t be afraid of showing its face,” he sighed.

“We know what the Angel looks like,” Father Octavian reminded the young Cleric. “Is that the Angel?” He asked, nodding to the statue riddled with bullets.

“No, sir,” the Cleric sighed.

“No, sir, it is not,” Father Octavian nodded. “According to the Doctor and Miss Parsons, we are facing an enemy of unknowable power and infinite evil, so it would be good, it would be very good, if we could all remain calm in the presence of decor,” he ordered.

The Doctor stood back and watched the Cleric with a sigh. “What’s you name?” He asked the Cleric.

“Bob, sir,” the Cleric replied, gulping harshly and wiping away a few beads of sweat across his forehead as he did so.

“Ah, that's a great name,” the Doctor beamed. “I love Bob,” he hummed.

“It's a Sacred Name,” Father Octavian said. “We all have Sacred Names. They're given to us in the service of the Church,” he told them.

“Ah, so it’s a Sacred Bob,” Ariel hummed, waltzing down to stand right in front of the pair with the Doctor.

“Sacred Bob,” the Doctor smiled. “More like Scared Bob now, eh?” The Doctor prompted.

“Yes, sir,” Bob breathed, nodding to the couple.

“Ah, good,” the Doctor hummed. “Scared keeps you fast. Anyone in this room who isn't scared is a moron,” he said.

Ariel smiled at the Doctor. That was one of the many reasons she felt so comfortable with him. He was able to make her feel as though her anxiety and fear wasn’t such a bad thing.

However, when she watched the Doctor turn away and head back to River and Amy, she couldn’t help but feel like she had more to add.

“Listen Bob, let me tell you about scared,” Ariel sighed. “Your heart is beating so hard, you can feel it through your hands. There's so much blood and oxygen pumping through your brain, it's like rocket fuel. Right now, you could run faster and you could fight harder, you could jump higher than ever in your life. And you are so alert, it's like you can slow down time. What's wrong with scared? Scared is a superpower. It's your superpower,” she nodded. “There are angels here, sure, but that fear in you is what keeps you alive. You think I’ve gone this long traveling with the Doctor without being afraid?” She smirked.

Bob smiled softly at Ariel and nodded. “Thank you, ma’am.”

“Don’t mention it,” Ariel grinned. She turned back to the Doctor who was staring at her with wide eyes and clapped her hands. “Right then!” Ariel exclaimed. “Let’s go,” she sighed.

The Doctor cleared his throat and nodded, seeming to be pulled back into reality with her words.

“Right then,” the Doctor nodded. He wrapped his arm around Ariel and they headed back into the maze. “Where did that come from?” He wondered.

“Just thought of it I suppose,” Ariel shrugged. “There’s nothing wrong with being afraid and fear is what keeps you alive when it comes to moments like these. You showed me not to be ashamed of my fear,” she smiled up at the Doctor and he grinned, pulling her close to his chest and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

“Hold on, isn't there a chance this lot's just going to collapse?” Amy asked, gesturing up to the roof above them. “There's a whole ship up there,” she reminded them.

“Incredible builders, the Aplans,” River sighed.

“Had dinner with their Chief Architect once,” the Doctor nodded. “Two heads are better than one,” he said.

“What, you mean you helped him?” Amy guessed.

“No, I mean he had two heads,” the Doctor said, frowning at her as though that were obvious. “The book, the very end, what did it say?” The Doctor asked River.

“Hang on,” River mumbled. She pulled out the book and began flipping through to the end.

“Read it to me,” the Doctor instructed.

“What if we had ideas that could think for themselves? What if one day our dreams no longer needed us? When these things occur and are held to be true, the time will be upon us. The time of Angels,” River read.

“Well, that’s bloody ominous,” Ariel remarked. “What does it mean?” She asked.

“I don’t know yet,” the Doctor sighed. “But keep it in mind,” he instructed.

“Got it,” Ariel nodded as they began climbing upwards through the maze once again.

“Are we there yet?” Amy wondered. “It’s a hell of a climb,” she sighed.

“The Maze is on six levels, representing the ascent of the soul,” River informed her. “Only two levels to go,” she shrugged.

“Lovely species, the Aplans,” the Doctor hummed. “We should visit them some time.”

“Ah, yeah,” Ariel nodded. “I don’t think I’ve ever met them.”

“You’d love their Prime Minister,” the Doctor grinned.

“I thought they were all dead?” Amy frowned.

“So is Virginia Woolf. We’re on her bowling team,” the Doctor chuckled, nodding to himself and Ariel.

“Yeah, and I’m Queen Victoria’s personal nanny,” Ariel giggled. “Death doesn’t stop anything,” she sighed. “But never mind that, what were the Aplans like?” She asked.

“Very relaxed, sort of cheerful,” the Doctor shrugged. “Well, that's having two heads, of course. You're never short of a snog with an extra head.”

“What, they snogged their other heads?” Ariel frowned.

“Oh, yeah,” the Doctor hummed. “Well, the other head had a different personality, of course. It wasn’t just them snogging themselves. Though they did try to marry their own heads. That was until the Church banned it.”

“And here I was thinking the idea of them snogging themselves was the strange bit,” Ariel sighed.

“Doctor, there's something,” River frowned, narrowing her eyes as she glanced around as though there was something she couldn’t quite see waiting for her to lay her eyes on it. “I don't know what it is,” she mumbled.

“Yeah, there's something wrong. Don't know what it is yet, either. Working on it,” he shrugged.

“But anyway, the Aplans?” Ariel prompted.

“Yeah, they started having laws against self-marrying,” the Doctor nodded. “I mean, what was that about? But that's the Church for you,” he moaned. “Er, no offence, Bishop,” he winced when he noticed that Father Octavian was with them.

“Quite a lot taken, if that's all right, Doctor,” Father Octavian sighed and Ariel snickered. “Lowest point in the wreckage is only about fifty feet up from here. That way,” he said, pointing towards the path they needed to take.

“The Church had a point, if you think about it. The divorces must have been messy,” Ariel winced. “I mean divorcing when the other person is attached to your body?” She frowned.

The Doctor’s eyes widened as he realized a very specific bit of information that he had been working up to their whole time there.

“Oh,” the Doctor gasped.

“What’s wrong” Amy frowned.

It took River a moment before she was there with him too. “Oh,” River breathed.

“What?” Ariel asked, glancing at her two favorite people in sheer befuddlement. “What’s wrong?”

“Look at the statues?” The Doctor mumbled in her ear, pointing to the statues surrounding them.

Ariel frowned at the statues but couldn’t see anything different. She was about to ask, _well, what about them?_ when the penny dropped. The Aplans had two heads and built those catacombs. If they had two heads, then why did their statues only have one?

“Oh, my God,” Ariel gasped.

“Exactly,” the Doctor hummed, nodding to her as he gazed around the catacombs with large eyes moving his torch across all the statues surrounding them.

“How could we have not noticed that?” River wondered, shaking her head aimlessly.

“Low level perception filter,” the Doctor suggested. “Or maybe we're thick,” he shrugged.

“I’d go with thick considering we were just talking about them,” Ariel mumbled. “Oh God, I can’t believe we missed this!” She exclaimed, rubbing her head. They had walked an army of Clerics into a suicide mission without even realizing it.

“What’s wrong ma’am?” Father Octavian asked, frowning at Ariel.

“Nobody move. Nobody move,” the Doctor instructed, holding out his hands and keeping all of them out of the path of the Angels. “Everyone stay exactly where they are. Bishop, I am truly sorry. I've made a mistake and we are all in terrible danger,” he sighed.

“We both made the mistake,” Ariel nodded. “We should have seen it sooner.”

“And now we’re all dead,” the Doctor mumbled.

“What danger?” Father Octavian implored, raising an eyebrow at the pair.

“The Aplans,” River sighed.

“The Aplans?” Father Octavian echoed with a small frown, not catching their point.

“They’ve got two heads,” River nodded.

“Yes, I get that,” Father Octavian sighed. “So?” He prompted, unsure of what the danger was in a race dead for hundreds of years that had two heads.

“So why don't the statues?” The Doctor wondered and everyone in the alcove seemed to stop breathing at their attention being brought to the matter. “Everyone, over there. Just move. Don't ask questions, don't speak,” the Doctor instructed, guiding the group into an alcove away from the statues.

Once they were all in a safe area with their torches all pointed out towards the Angels, the Doctor sighed softly.

“Okay, I want you all to switch off your torches,” the Doctor instructed.

“Sir?” Father Octavian frowned. They just found out the statues surrounding them were all Angels. Why should they risk not being able to see?

“Just do it,” the Doctor insisted. They all hesitated, but one by one the torches went out nonetheless. “Okay,” he sighed. “I'm going to turn off this one too, just for a moment.”

“Are you sure about this?” River asked.

“No,” the Doctor breathed.

“It’s the only way to know for sure,” Ariel shrugged. They couldn’t just go off of what they know about the Aplans to trust that these statues were Angels. They had to have proof.

The Doctor switched off his torch. A moment later he switched it back on and every single Angel around them had moved.

“Oh, my God,” Ariel gasped.

“Come on,” the Doctor mumbled, grabbing Ariel’s hand and darting away from the group.

“Has every single one of them moved?!” Ariel exclaimed, spinning around to keep her torch trained on the Angels behind her.

“Looks like it. Yep,” the Doctor nodded and they skidded to a stop when they came across an Angel on the ground looking like it had begun crawling towards them. “They’re Angels,” he breathed. “All of them.”

“But they can’t be,” River reasoned, glancing around the area at all the hundreds of Angels.

“But they are,” Ariel sighed.

“Clerics, keep watching them,” the Doctor instructed before running further down the passageway to inspect more Angels. He shined his torch down a small cliff and Ariel, River, and Amy all looked down at the various Angels seeming to be frozen whilst climbing up to them.

“Every statue in this Maze, every single one, is a Weeping Angel. They're coming after us,” the Doctor said.

“What do we do?” Ariel asked. “How do we- I though there was only one Angel here,” she sighed.

“There was only one Angel on the ship. Just the one, I swear,” River promised.

“I don’t doubt that,” Ariel said. “I’m just wondering how they got here in the first place.”

“Could they have been here already?” Amy wondered.

“I suppose,” Ariel frowned. “But why would they come here just to wait? You said this place had been empty for years,” she remembered, nodding to River.

“The Aplans. What happened?” The Doctor wondered. “How did they die out?”

Ariel inhaled sharply and turned to River, following the Doctor’s train of thought.

“Nobody knows,” River shrugged.

“We know,” the Doctor nodded, flashing his torch on the statues.

“The Weeping Angels killed them,” Ariel mumbled.

“They don’t look like Angels,” Father Octavian remarked with a small frown.

“And they're not fast,” Amy added, nodding along with the bishop. “You said they were fast. They should have had us by now.”

“No, they couldn’t,” Ariel frowned, shaking her head at the ginger. “They’re too weak.”

“Look at them,” the Doctor nodded, shining his torch on the Angels. “They're dying, losing their form. They must have been down here for centuries, starving.”

“Losing their image?” Amy guessed and the Doctor nodded.

“And their image is their power,” the Doctor sighed, but slowed down as he began to realize something. Ariel stopped by his side and River watched the Angels for them. “Power,” the Doctor mumbled, grabbing Ariel’s hand and watching her with wide eyes. As she frowned at him, he shook her hand and nodded to her. “Power!” He exclaimed.

Ariel’s eyes inflated. “No,” Ariel breathed. “But they couldn’t have,” she frowned.

“They did,” the Doctor nodded.

“Doctor?” Amy prompted.

“Don't you see?” The Doctor sighed. “All that radiation spilling out the drive burn. The crash of the Byzantium wasn't an accident, it was a rescue mission for the Angels. We're in the middle of an army, and it's waking up,” he hummed.

“We need to get out of here fast,” River hissed.

“Bob, Angelo, Christian, come in, please,” Father Octavian begged, walking up to them as he held his walkie talkie up to his lips. “Any of you, come in,” he pleaded.

“It’s Bob, sir,” Bob’s voice came in over the radio. “Sorry, sir.”

“Bob, are Angelo and Christian with you?” Father Octavian asked. “All the statues are active. I repeat, all the statues are active,” he warned them.

“I know, sir. Angelo and Christian are dead, sir,” Bob informed them. “The statues killed them, sir.”

The Doctor bolted up to Father Octavian and snatched the walkie talkie out of his hands.

“Bob, Sacred Bob, it's me, the Doctor,” the Doctor said.

“I’m talking to-,” Father Octavian began and Ariel held up a hand silencing him.

“Give him a minute,” Ariel said and Father Octavian huffed out his frustration but said nothing.

“Where are you now?” The Doctor asked.

“I'm on my way up to you, sir. I'm homing in on your signal,” Bob told them.

“Ah, well done, Bob. Scared keeps you fast. Told you, didn't we?” The Doctor smirked and Ariel grinned at him, but her smile faltered as she thought on Bob’s words even more.

“Hold on, Doctor, something’s not right about this,” Ariel said, walking up to his side. “How would he know Angelo and Christian are dead? He would have had to watch as they were taken and somehow run from the Angels as they were killing both of them simultaneously. There’s an awful lot of coincidence just in that,” she mumbled.

The Doctor nodded and turned back to the walkie-talkie. “Your friends, Bob. What did the Angel do to them?” He asked.

“Snapped their necks, sir,” Bob responded.

The Doctor glanced at Ariel with a small frown and she shook her head. She had never seen or heard of an Angel murdering a person by just snapping their neck.

“That's odd. That's not how the Angels kill you. They displace you in time. Unless they needed the bodies for something,” the Doctor mumbled.

“But what could they need them for?” Ariel wondered.

“I’m not sure,” the Doctor sighed.

“Bob, did you check their data packs for vital signs? Father Octavian asked. “We may be able to initiate a rescue plan.”

“Oh, don't be an idiot,” the Doctor scoffed. “The Angels don't leave you alive.”

“Doctor, he’s just trying to help,” Ariel murmured.

“I need people thinking clearly not taking stupid risks against the Angels,” the Doctor sighed. “Bob, keep running. But tell me, how did you escape?” He wondered.

“I didn't escape, sir. The Angel killed me, too,” Bob replied.

Ariel’s eyes widened and she was sure she felt her heart stop beating in her chest.

“What do you mean, the Angel killed you?” The Doctor breathed, unsure if he could trust his voice at a speaking level.

“Snapped my neck, sir. Wasn't as painless as I expected, but it was pretty quick, so that was something.”

“If you’re dead, how can we be talking to you?” The Doctor wondered.

“You're not talking to me, sir,” Bob said. “The Angel has no voice. It stripped my cerebral cortex from my body and re-animated a version of my consciousness to communicate with you. Sorry about the confusion.”

“Well, the Angel is awful polite, I’ll give it that,” Ariel hummed.

The Doctor smirked at her momentarily before turning back to Angel Bob. “So when you say you're on your way up to us…?” The Doctor trailed off.

“It's the Angel that's coming, sir, yes,” Bob said. “No way out.”

“Then we get out through the wreckage,” Father Octavian mumbled. He turned to the Clerics and Amy and River. “Go! Go, go, go. All of you run!” He cried, waving them through to the wreckage.

“Doctor,” Amy breathed, pausing before him for a moment as the others ran out.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm coming. Just go. Go, go, go. Yeah,” the Doctor nodded. “You should go to,” he instructed, glancing down at Ariel.

“If you think I’m leaving you alone when we’re surrounded by Angels, you’ve got another thing coming,” Ariel hummed, grinning up at him.

The Doctor smirked and kissed her quickly. He grabbed her hand and turned to Father Octavian.

“Called you an idiot. Sorry, but there's no way we could have rescued your men,” the Doctor sighed, passing the gruesome truth to the bishop.

“I know that, sir,” Father Octavian nodded. “And when the two of you have flown away in your little blue box, I'll explain that to their families,” he muttered passing one last dirty glare at the Doctor and Ariel before marching forward.

Ariel sneered at her, anger thrumming through her veins at the fact that a man that she had not only defended but trusted sought to make the Doctor feel as though the blood of those men were on his hands when noto a single one of them had thought that the statues could be Angels.

“I never liked bishops,” Ariel mumbled and the Doctor chuckled, grateful that she was around so he didn’t have to always feel like rubbish for the honest mistakes he made.

“Hold on,” Ariel frowned, spinning around to him. “Wouldn’t the original Angel still be in the wreckage?” She wondered.

“Let’s ask Angel Bob, shall we?” The Doctor hummed and Ariel smirked, looping her arm through his as he radioed the Angel. “Angel Bob. Which Angel am I talking to? The one from the ship?” He assumed.

“Yes, sir. And the other Angels are still restoring,” Bob reminded them.

“Ah, so the Angel is not in the wreckage,” the Doctor smiled, nodding the all clear to Ariel. “Thank you,” he grinned.

The Doctor grabbed Ariel’s hand and they bolted forward after the others. They passed Amy standing still as though she were waiting for them.

“Don’t wait for us. Go! Run!” The Doctor cried.

“I can’t,” Amy sighed.

The Doctor and Ariel skidded to a stop and spun around to face her.

“What are you talking about?” Ariel frowned. “‘Course you can,” she shrugged as she and the Doctor walked back up to her.

“No, really, I can’t,” Amy insisted.

“Why not?” The Doctor wondered.

“Look at it. Look at my hand. It's stone!” Amy exclaimed, nodding to her hand with fear gripping her eyes.

The Doctor and Ariel shared a frown. Her hand wasn’t stone. It was an ordinary human hand, though that didn’t stop Ariel from having a brief flashback to Pompeii and the women turning themselves into stone just due to her phrasing.

“You looked into the eyes of an Angel, didn't you?” The Doctor sighed, beginning to understand why she was seeing something that wasn’t actually happening to her. The Angel was messing with her mind.

“I couldn’t help myself,” Amy whimpered. “I tried.”

“But her hand isn’t made of stone,” Ariel breathed, trying to reason with them. It was a completely normal hand.

“Listen to me. It's messing with your head. Your hand is not made of stone,” the Doctor assured her.

“It is,”  Amy insisted, nodding to the hand she had not moved since they had turned to her. “Look at it.”

“It's in your mind, I promise you,” the Doctor said. “You can move that hand. You can let go.”

“He’s right, Amy,” Ariel nodded. “It’s just your normal hand. You can move it,” she promised the ginger.

“I can't, okay?” Amy moaned. “I've tried and I can't. It's stone.”

“The Angel is going to come and it's going to turn this light off, and then there's nothing I can do to stop it,” the Doctor reminded her. “So do it. Concentrate. Move your hand,” he instructed.

“I can’t!” Amy cried.

“Then we’re gonna die,” Ariel sighed, running her fingers through her hair.

“You’re not going to die,” Amy frowned.

“They’ll kill the lights,” the Doctor reminded her with a nod.

“You've got to go,” Amy nodded. “You know you have. You both have got all that stuff with River and that's all got to happen. You know you can't die here.”

“Oh, no that can all disappear,” Ariel moaned.

“Time can be rewritten,” the Doctor nodded, agreeing with her. “It doesn’t work like that.”

“Doctor!” Ariel exclaimed, jumping back as she spotted the first Angel.

“Keep your eyes on it,” the Doctor instructed. “Don't blink.”

“Got it,” Ariel nodded. She kept her eyes wide as she remained focused on the statue before her.

“Run!” Amy cried, looking behind her in terror at the statue.

“Psh, like we would leave you behind,” Ariel scoffed.

“You see, we’re not going,” the Doctor nodded. “We’re not leaving you here,” he assured her.

“I don't need you to die for me, Doctor. Do I look that _clingy_?” Amy asked and Ariel winced, clearly sensing the words that were directed at her in that sentence and noticing that she didn’t claim that she didn’t need Ariel to die for her.

“You can move your hand,” the Doctor insisted with a nod.

“It’s stone!” Amy snapped.

“It’s not stone!” The Doctor retorted.

“Oh, this is getting us places fast,” Ariel mumbled sarcastically.

“You've got to go,” Amy sighed. “Those people up there will die without you. If you stay here with me, you'll have as good as killed them.”

“Amy Pond, you are magnificent, and I'm sorry,” the Doctor apologized.

“It's okay,” Amy sighed, hanging her head. “I understand. You've got to leave me,” she nodded.

“Oh, no, I'm not leaving you, never. I'm sorry about this,” the Doctor sighed and he leant down and bit her hand.

“Ow!” Amy cried, snatching her hand away from him and staring at it with large eyes.

“See?” The Doctor smirked. “Not stone. Now run,” he instructed, grabbing Ariel’s hand and beginning to job ahead.

“You bit me!” Amy exclaimed, clutching her hand in horror.

“Yeah, and you’re alive,” the Doctor sighed.

“Look, I've got a mark. Look at my hand,” Amy said, practically shoving her hand in the Doctor and Ariel’s faces.

“Yeah, he bit you, get past it,” Ariel moaned.

“Yes, you're alive,” the Doctor nodded. “Did I mention?” He prompted with a raised eyebrow.

“Blimey, your teeth,” Amy winced. “Have you got space teeth?”

“First, what the hell are space teeth?” Ariel frowned. “Second, really not understanding why we’re still on this!” Ariel groaned.

“Yeah. Alive. All I'm saying,” the Doctor muttered.

They ran after the group through the tunnel. Eventually, they reached an open area where right above them the center of the crashed Byzantium was visible.

All of the torches in the group were flickering and the exterior lights of the Byzantium were flickering as well.

“Is that them?” Ariel asked, gesturing up to the lights on the Byzantium.

“Yeah, it's the Angels,” the Doctor nodded. “They're coming. And they're draining the power for themselves,” he hummed.

“Which means we won't be able to see them,” Father Octavian sighed.

“Which means we can’t stay here,” the Doctor corrected.

“Two more incoming,” Father Octavian announced, spinning around to aim his gun at and watch the Angels that had arrived.

“Any suggestions?” River prompted, raising an eyebrow at the couple. “Either of you?” She implored.

“The statues are advancing on all sides,” Father Octavian told them. “We don't have the climbing equipment to reach the Byzantium.”

“There's no way up, no way back, no way out. No pressure, but this is usually when one of you has a really good idea,” River reminded them.

Ariel spun to the Doctor and he met her eyes with a small grin. River smirked as she noticed they were doing the one thing she had always adored while simultaneously being a tiny bit jealous of. They were acting together as if their two minds were one when they made a plan. Often, that was the easiest way for them to alleviate their fears and concerns about the stress of the close cut situation. They just worked together as though they were two halves of a whole person, in action and thinking without a single moment of pause between them.

“There’s always a way out,” the Doctor breathed.

“There’s always a way out,” Ariel echoed with a nod.

“What have we got?” The Doctor asked.

“Angels all around, guns, torches, Byzantium,” Ariel listed.

“The Byzantium,” the Doctor breathed, holding up a hand and stopping her listing.

“The Byzantium,” Ariel nodded, following along with his thoughts. “What else?” She prompted. There had to be a way for them to get on the Byzantium.

“Angles, guns, torches,” the Doctor repeated in a hushed tone as he remembered what they had at their disposal.

“Sonic?” Ariel offered, adding onto the list.

“Not necessary,” the Doctor said, shaking his head. “Gun,” he nodded. “Shoot at the globe.”

“Got it,” Ariel nodded. She spun around and pulled a gun out of Father Octavian’s holster.

“Doctor? Can I speak to the Doctor, please?” Angel Bob requested through the walkie-talkie.

“Hello, Angels. What's your problem?” The Doctor asked, smirking as he knew they had a way out no matter what the Angels did.

“Your power will not last much longer, and the Angels will be with you shortly. Sorry, sir,” Angel Bob apologized.

“Again with the manners,” Ariel frowned. “Almost makes me feel bad for him,” she muttered.

“Really?” Amy frowned.

“Well, almost,” Ariel shrugged.

“Why are you telling me this?” The Doctor wondered.

“There's something the Angels are very keen for you to let Ariel know before the end,” Angel Bob said.

Ariel stepped forward with wide eyes.

“Which is?” The Doctor prompted, glancing back at Ariel.

“I died in fear,” Angel Bob said and Ariel frowned.

“Sorry?” The Doctor asked.

“You told me my fear would keep me alive, that it was my superpower, but I died afraid, in pain and alone. You made me trust you, and when it mattered, you let me down,” Angel Bob reminded her.

Ariel fell back with wide eyes, tears blurring her vision as she stared at the walkie-talkie in horror.

The Doctor stared at her with a clenched jaw, a new wave of pain and anger flooding his mind.

“What are they doing?” Amy whispered to River.

“They're trying to make him angry,” River mumbled. “They could spend all day reminding him of his mistakes, but make Ariel feel it-.”

“I killed him,” Ariel cried.

“No, no you didn’t,” the Doctor shook his head. Ariel turned away from him, covering her face and trying to stop tears from flowing down her cheeks. The Doctor took a deep breath and turned back to the walkie, a new fire blazing in his eyes. “The Angels have made their second mistake because I'm not going to let that pass, Angel Bob,” the Doctor muttered. “We’re sorry you’re dead, Bob, but I swear that the Angels will be even sorrier,” the Doctor promised.

River walked over to Ariel and wrapped her in a hug, trying to silently comfort her as the Doctor bought her some time to calm down before she fired the shot that would save them.

“But you're trapped, sir, and about to die,” Angel Bob reasoned.

“Yeah. I'm trapped,” the Doctor nodded. “And you know what? Speaking of traps, this trap has got a great big mistake in it. Two great big, whopping mistakes,” he said, smirking to himself.

“What mistakes, sir?” Angel Bob wondered.

“Alright, Ariel, are you ready?” The Doctor prompted.

Ariel took a deep breath. She sniffled, wiping away her last few tears before pulling out the gun and nodding.

“Are you sure?” The Doctor asked, raising an eyebrow and giving her a look that said, _if you’re not okay, that’s fine too._

“I’m alright,” Ariel assured him with a small nod.

“Alright, Amy, do you trust _us_?” The Doctor asked, placing an emphasis on the fact that it wasn’t just him she had to trust. Ariel smirked. Of course the Doctor had noticed Amy’s disregard for her life earlier. He noticed everything.

Amy hesitated, casting a wary glance over Ariel. Eventually, she gulped harshly and nodded. “Yeah.”

“River?” The Doctor prompted.

“Always,” River smiled.

“You lot,” the Doctor said, turning his attention to Father Octavian. “Trust us?”

Father Octavian hesitated and glanced briefly at River who nodded firmly to him. He sighed and nodded in response. “We have faith, sir,” Octavian assured him.

“Alright,” the Doctor nodded. “Then, I’m about to ask Ariel to do something incredibly stupid and dangerous. When she does it. Jump!” He cried.

“Jump where?” Father Octavian frowned.

“Up,” Ariel shrugged, pulling out the gun and aiming it at her target.

“Just jump, high as you can,” the Doctor nodded. When the Bishop looked wary, the Doctor sighed. “Come on, leap of faith, Bishop. On Ariel’s signal,” he instructed with a nod.

“What signal?” Father Octavian wondered.

“You won’t miss it,” the Doctor assured him. He winked at Ariel and she just grinned.

“Sorry, can I ask again?” Angel Bob requested. “You mentioned some mistakes we made,” he reminded the Doctor.

“Oh, big mistakes. Huge. Didn't anyone ever tell you there are two things you never put in a trap? If you're smart, if you value your continued existence, if you have any plans about seeing tomorrow, there are two things you never, ever put in a trap,” the Doctor hummed.

“And what would that be, sir?” Angel Bob asked.

“Oh, Angel Bob, I’m ashamed. Haven’t you heard the stories? The stories written across time. The stories of two people who have stopped whole hoards worse than you and your silly little Angels,” the Doctor said. “You should never ever lure those people into a trap if you have any hope of surviving,” he mumbled.

“And who would that be, sir?” Angel Bob wondered.

“The Doctor and Ariel Parsons,” the Doctor smiled.

Ariel took that as the signal and fired a shot straight at the gravity globe of the Byzantium before jumping as high as she could possibly muster.


	11. The Countdown

The Doctor helped Ariel to her feet before glancing around at everybody who had jumped up upon his instructions.

“Up. Look up,” the Doctor instructed, waving everyone to their feet.

Ariel looked up and grinned when she saw the floors of the tunnel just above them. She looked down and spotted the floor of the Byzantium beneath her feet and giggled, hopping up victoriously.

“It worked!” Ariel exclaimed. “Oh, my God, it worked,” she sighed, relief flooding her senses.

The Doctor smiled and kissed her forehead. 

“Are you okay?” River mumbled, helping Amy to her feet.

“What happened?” Amy asked, clutching her head and wincing as she glanced around.

“We jumped,” River sighed. 

“Jumped where?” Amy asked.

“Up,” the Doctor said. “Up. Look up.”

Amy looked up as the Doctor instructed and frowned. “Where are we?” She wondered.

“Exactly where we were,” River shrugged.

“No, we’re not,” Amy frowned, glancing down at the surface beneath her feet.

“Hate to disrupt this but if we really wanna put the Angels behind us we’ve got to get going,” Ariel reminded them.

“Move your feet,” the Doctor nodded, walking over to Ariel’s side and gently tapping Amy’s feet to get her away from a small hatch. Once her feet were off it he sonicked the circular hatch open for them to crawl into.

“Doctor, what am I looking at? Explain,” Amy insisted.

“Oh, come on, Amy, think,” the Doctor sighed. “The ship crashed with the power still on, yeah? So what else is still on?” He prompted.

“The artificial gravity,” Ariel answered with a smile as she saw Amy was still confused. “One good jump, and up we fell. Shot out the grav globe to give us an updraft, and here we are,” she shrugged.

“Doctor, the statues,” Father Octavian mumbled. “They look more like Angels now,” he hummed.

Ariel looked up and with wide eyes confirmed the words of the Bishop. Their faces were still a bit cracked but their figures looked more like Angels than the statues they had seen when they first walked in.

“They're feeding on the radiation from the wreckage, draining all the power from the ship, restoring themselves,” the Doctor nodded. “Within an hour, they'll be an army.”

He got the hatch open just as one of the exterior lights sparked making Ariel stare up at the Angels with large eyes. They were cutting the power and she didn’t want to consider the possibility of the Angels managing to move onto the ship with them.

“They're taking out the lights,” the Doctor said, confirming what Ariel had assumed. “Look at them. Look at the Angels,” he instructed. “Into the ship, now. Quickly, all of you.”

“Doctor, how are we supposed to get into the ship and keep out eyes on the Angels?” Ariel wondered.

The Doctor frowned at them, seeing that it could be a potential problem. “Back up slowly. I’ll help you on then we can get the others,” he instructed with a nod.

Ariel took a deep breath and cautiously began shuffling backwards to the Doctor.

“Okay, Amy, I’m going to need you to look at the Angels Ariel was watching,” the Doctor said.

Amy nodded and turned to the same direction Ariel had been facing while the Doctor grabbed Ariel’s legs and slipped her into the ship.

Ariel fell into the Doctor’s arms with a sharp gasp and the Doctor chuckled as he held her close and lowered her to her feet.

“You alright?” The Doctor prompted. 

“Yeah,” Ariel sighed. 

“Good,” the Doctor smiled. He kissed her quickly on the forehead and turned to the entrance so they could get the others in.

One by one as they lowered people inside they made sure to keep their eyes on the Angels the Clerics were leaving behind. Once enough people were inside, the Doctor bolted over to a control panel to begin sonicking the controls to the hatch so they could close it as soon as the last person was inside.

“Okay, men. Go, go, go!” Father Octavian cried, waving each Cleric into the ship one by one.

“The Angels,” Father Octavian sighed, marching up to the Doctor and Ariel after passing one hesitant glance behind him at the still open hatch. “Presumably they can jump up too?” He assumed.

The hatch closed as River and Amy jumped through but the Doctor wasn’t doing anything to the control panel in the moment it sealed shut which meant-.

“They're here, now,” the Doctor breathed. “In the dark, we're finished.”

“Doctor!” Ariel cried, pointing to a bulkhead at the end of the corridor.

“Run!” The Doctor yelled and they all bolted to the door, but just barely missed it.

“This whole place is a death trap,” Father Octavian sighed.

“Not arguing you there,” Ariel mumbled.

“Love, you can help with the rewiring,” River said, waving the brunette to her side. 

“No, it's a time bomb,” the Doctor corrected the Bishop as Ariel headed over to River. “Well, it's a death trap and a time bomb,” he shrugged. “And now it's a dead end. Nobody panic. Oh, just me then. What's through here?” He asked.

“Secondary flight deck,” River replied.

“Okay. so we've basically run up the inside of a chimney, yeah?” Amy sighed. “So what if the gravity fails?” She wondered.

“I’ve thought about that,” the Doctor nodded.

“And?” Amy prompted.

“And we'll all plunge to our deaths,” the Doctor shrugged. “See? I've thought about it.”

“I don’t understand, how can I help?” Ariel asked River with a small frown. She knew the basics of dealing with computers but she wasn’t exactly a master hacker or engineer.

“All the wires connected to this small panel here,” River said, gesturing to a small panel inside the wall on Ariel’s right. “It leads to that bulkhead right there. All the wires connected to it are sending power to it. We need to connect all the wires to it and removed the ones that are keeping it sealed.”

“Which are?” Ariel frowned. 

“The yellow ones,” River nodded. “While you rewire that. I can override the security protocols,” she explained.

“The security protocols are still live,” the Doctor frowned. “There's no way to override them. It's impossible,” he insisted.

“How impossible?” River asked with a small smirk.

The Doctor looked up and narrowed his eyes at the hatch. “Two minutes?” He guessed.

River nodded and the outer hatch opened. Right outside the hatch, an Angel hand stuck out like a claw grasping for a figure right beside it.

The lights began to flicker and Ariel winced. She tried to peer out at the Angels as much as possible while still trying to help River with the panel.

“The hull is breached and the power's failing,” Father Octavian announced.

An Angel appeared in the hull and Ariel’s eyes inflated. She tried to keep her eyes on the Angel and work but she quickly found that didn’t work when River yelped in pain after the brunette had tried to plug a wire into her wrist.

“Sir, incoming,” one of the Clerics warned.

“Doctor? Lights,” Amy hissed, running up to the Doctor working at a control panel opposite of River and Ariel.

There was another flicker and three of the Angels were inside the hull just in front of the hatch they had entered from.

“Clerics, keep watching them,” Father Octavian instructed.

“And don't look at their eyes. Anywhere else. Noth the eyes,” the Doctor nodded, running over to River and Ariel and sonicking their control panel. “I've isolated the lighting grid,” he announced. “They can't drain the power now.”

“Good work, Doctor,” Father Octavian nodded.

“Yes. Good, good, good. Good in many ways. Good you like it so far,” the Doctor sighed. 

“So far?” Amy frowned.

“That’s less good,” Ariel mumbled.

“Well, there's only one way to open this door,” the Doctor shrugged. “I guess I'll need to route all the power in this section through the door control.”

River and Ariel stared at each other with wide eyes, immediately understanding what  _ all the power in this section _ meant.

Father Octavian, however, was less quick on the uptake. “Fine. Good. Do it,” he nodded.

“Doctor, does all the power include what I think it does?” Ariel muttered.

“Yes,” the Doctor nodded, wincing at the word alone.

“Shite,” Ariel breathed.

“What?” Amy frowned, sincerely despising that there were so many conversations Ariel and the Doctor were in on that she couldn’t be privy to. She wanted to be in on the joke, understand what they understood but she felt more like a third wheel than anything else. “What is it?”

“All the power is including the lights,” the Doctor sighed. “All of them. I'll need to turn out the lights.”

“How long for?” Father Octavian wondered.

“Fraction of a second,” the Doctor shrugged. “Maybe longer. Maybe quite a bit longer.”

“Maybe?” Father Octavian, staring at the Doctor with a look that screamed he did not want to risk his life on a  _ maybe _ .

“I'm guessing,” the Doctor sighed. “We're being attacked by statues in a crashed ship. There isn't a manual for this!” He snapped, running his fingers through his floppy brown hair wildly.

“Can I help?” Ariel wondered. “I’ve got everything done here,” she shrugged, gesturing to the rewiring. She wanted to help in anyway possible. She didn’t just want to stand around and feel useless as everyone risked their lives to get them through the bulkhead.

“Yeah,” the Doctor nodded, smiling at her. “‘Course you can,” he grinned. 

Ariel beamed up at him and before she could walk over to the control panel, he wrapped his arms around her and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips.

Amy rolled her eyes at their incessant need to kiss every time their lives were at stake.

“Doctor, we lost the torches!” Amy reminded him. “We'll be in total darkness.”

“Yeah, got that bit, thanks,” Ariel frowned.

“No other way,” the Doctor shrugged. “Bishop?” He prompted, pulling Ariel to the control panel to begin working.

However, rather than answer his call, the Bishop turned to River and glared at her. 

“Doctor Song, I've lost good Clerics today,” Father Octavian reminded her. “You trust these two?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I absolutely trust them,” River nodded.

“They’re not just mad, then?” Father Octavian assumed and Ariel snorted. They said nothing about being mad.

“I absolutely trust them,” River repeated, not bothering to  say an answer she knew Father Octavian wouldn’t like.

The Doctor laughed and spun around to the Bishop, passing his sonic to Ariel momentarily.

Ariel took a deep breath and sonicked the wires, shivering slightly as she felt a bit colder than she had when she entered the Byzantium. She guessed the Angels had gotten to turn off the heating before the Doctor could stop their meddling.

“Are you alright?” The Doctor frowned, placing a gentle hand on her back.

“Fine,” Ariel assured him with a shake of her head. “Just think the Angels turned off the heating,” she shrugged.

The Doctor narrowed his eyes at the others around them. Amy had on long sleeves, and everyone else was in Church uniforms, covering their bodies against the potential cold.

He took a deep breath and pulled off his suit before placing in delicately around her shoulders. She sighed into the gentle warmth and the Doctor smiled softly before turning back to the Bishop.

“Okay, Doctor,” Father Octavian nodded. “We've got your back,” he assured him.

“Bless you, Bishop,” the Doctor smiled. “Ariel, passme the sonic.”

“Here,” Ariel said. “I can’t get through to that back panel there. There are some wires blocking it but I’m not sure if they’re important.”

“Combat distance, ten feet,” Father Octavian commanded the Clerics who all moved backwards and away from the Angels. “As soon as the lights go down, continuous fire. Full spread over the hostiles. Do not stop firing while the lights are out. Shot gun protocol. We don't have bullets to waste,” he sighed.

“They’re not important,” the Doctor assured her. “Pull them out, I’ll be a second,” he said. 

Ariel nodded and began yanking the wires out of their places while the Doctor turned to Amy.

“Amy, when the lights go down, the wheel should release. Spin it clockwise four turns,” the Doctor instructed.

“Ten,” Amy nodded, grabbing the wheel to prepare.

“No, four,” the Doctor corrected with a small frown. “Four turns.”

“Yeah, four,” Amy nodded. “I heard you.”

The Doctor narrowed his eyes at her for a moment before walking over to Ariel’s side and peering inside the control panel.

“Did she say ten?” Ariel prompted. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Probably something to do with the Angel in her eye,” the Doctor mumbled.

“Hold on, the Angel is in her eye?” Ariel frowned. “Because she looked into its eyes?” She guessed.

“Yep,” the Doctor said. “Remember what that books said. The eyes aren’t windows into the soul. They’re doors.”

“So, the Angel is in her now?” Ariel guessed. “Blimey, that’s weird,” she murmured.

“Add it to the list,” the Doctor chuckled and she giggled and nodded.

The Doctor and Ariel had an ever growing list of strange things they had faced. They added odd ways to die and odd events to it every time they faced something out of their realm of normality. It was a nice way to pass the time and not be followed by persistent anxiety over what could kill them next. It was their own special way to amuse themselves while saving the universe.

“Ready!” The Doctor exclaimed.

He shoved his sonic screwdriver into the control unit to hit the back panel Ariel had granted him access to. 

“On my count, then,” Father Octavian sighed. “God be with us all. Three, two, one, fire!” He cried.

The lights went out and the Clerics began shooting rapid fire at the Angels. 

“Turn!” The Doctor barked at Amy and Ariel ran to her side to help her spin faster and get the door open.

“Doctor, it's opening. It's working,” Amy nodded.

The bulkhead opened just enough for them to squeeze through and Ariel grinned at the sight. 

River bolted through and Amy ran through after her as the Clerics continued to blast the Angels with bullets.

“Fall back!” The Doctor bellowed.

There was a moment of pause before they all got up and bolted out through the bulkhead, Father Octavian being the last to run through after them.

“Ariel, go!” The Doctor barked. 

“Not until you get over here!” Ariel cried.

The Doctor glanced at the Angels and his sonic still in the control panel. He took a deep breath and pulled his sonic away, racing toward Ariel and pulling her through the bulkhead as it clanged shut.

They ran down another smaller corridor toward the last bulkhead they had to face. The Doctor placed his sonic in the control panel and it was only a couple moments before they got the bulkhead open. The Clerics and Father Octavian ran through, then Amy and River.

Ariel waited for the Doctor and he watched with large eyes as the Angels quickly broke through the first bulkhead.

“They’re gaining strength being here,” Ariel breathed.

“Which means we need to find a way out. Fast,” the Doctor nodded. “Come on,” he said. He bolted over to Ariel and wrapped his arms around her, spinning into the flight deck as the bulkhead clanged shut.

“Doctor!” Amy exclaimed.

The Doctor grabbed Ariel’s hand and waved River forward as all three of the raced to the controls to see if they could find an escape route. 

Ariel walked over to River’s side so the woman could guide her through the controls while Amy ran up to the Doctor and invaded his personal space as she had always done. 

Ariel watched with a clenched jaw and River merely chuckled. 

“Still jealous, then?” River prompted.

“Why does she have to copy everything I do with him?” Ariel moaned. “It feels like him and I have something special when he acts like I’m just an extended version of him,” she smiled.

The Doctor didn’t seem to welcome Amy’s presence as much as he welcomed Ariel’s. He was much stiffer and rigid as she got as close as possible to him.

“I take it by your phrasing that I don’t work on my jealousy in the future though,” Ariel mumbled.

“Not in the slightest,” River chuckled. 

“Oh, great,” Ariel sighed, turning away before she did something stupid like scream at Amy. “One more thing to live with,” she muttered.

River just laughed and shook his head. “He acts the same way with you,” she nodded. “You just don’t see it, but whenever you and I are together he isn’t never pleased.”

Ariel smirked. “Well, that’s something I suppose,” she sighed. 

Meanwhile, the wheel on the main door began spinning.

“Doctor!” Amy cried and Ariel rolled her eyes, punching at the buttons on the panel furiously while River just watched her with a bemused grin. 

Father Octavian placed a small device just above the wheel and turned it on, stopping the Angels from turning it.

“What are you doing?” Amy frowned.

“Magnetized the door,” Father Octavian smiled. “Nothing could turn that wheel now,” he assured them.

“Really?” Ariel scoffed. The Angels were made of stone and got through the first bulkhead in a matter of moments. Magnetism might slow them down but they could never be stopped.

“You think so?” The Doctor smirked. Right after he said that, the wheel began to slowly turn once again.

“Dear God,” Father Octavian gasped and Ariel snorted as she watched him finally realize the gravity of the situation.

“Now, you’re getting it,” the Doctor chuckled, nodding to the Bishop.

“Doctor,” Amy gasped, gesturing to a smaller door to the right of the main door. 

Ariel rolled her eyes and turned away. Amy didn’t have to stand within breathing space of the Doctor and alert him every time there was the slightest sign of danger. She had been traveling with them for a while now. She knew enough to understand that she didn’t have to cry out for the Doctor every time and especially not when the Clerics clearly had it covered. As far as Ariel was concerned, Amy just wanted to take her place and grab the attention of the Time Lord.

“Seal that door,” Father Octavian commanded. “Seal it now.”

One of the Clerics pulled out a device like the one Father Octavian had and placed it on the door, turning it on so the Angels were slowed.

“We’re surrounded,” River gasped. 

“There’s a way out,” Ariel assured her with a nod. “Just haven’t found it, yet,” she mumbled.

Right after they sealed the right door, the left door began spinning. 

“Seal it. Seal that door,” Father Octavian instructed and one of the Clerics did as he said. “Doctor, how long have we got?” He asked.

“Five minute, max,” the Doctor guessed.

“Nine,” Amy said and Ariel jumped.

“Five,” the Doctor corrected with a small frown.

“Five. Right. Yeah,” Amy nodded.

“Why’d you say nine?” The Doctor wondered.

Amy frowned at him as though he had two heads. “I didn’t?” She shrugged, chuckling like him telling her she said nine was a clever joke.

The Doctor shook his head and dismissed the matter momentarily, returning to work. 

“We need another way out of here,” River insisted.

“There isn’t one,” Father Octavian sighed.

“Yeah, there is,” the Doctor nodded. “Course there is,” he shrugged.

“There’s always a way out,” Ariel reminded the Bishop with a small frown unsure of why he couldn’t remember that.

The Doctor smiled at her and Amy scowled as he walked up to the brunette and pressed a kiss to her forehead. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and turned to the group.

“This is a galaxy class ship. Goes for years between planet falls. So, what do they need?” The Doctor asked, raising an eyebrow at Ariel and River.

Ariel furrowed her eyebrows and glanced down at the ground in thought. What were the essentials for people to live if they were on a ship for years at a time? Food could be recycled so that wasn’t a problem. Water was needed but the only ways they could make that didn’t promise an escape route. And oxygen. She remembered watching an old film where they had an oxygen factory on their spaceship, but could that be the case here? 

A forest could offer a way out and good coverage where they needed, so it definitely was a solution. 

Ariel looked up at the Doctor with wide eyes and a bright smile. “Could that really be on this flight deck?” She wondered.

“Almost certainly,” the Doctor beamed.

“Could what be the case?” Amy asked. “What is it?”

“Of course,” River sighed.

“Of course what?” Amy frowned. “What do they need?” She asked, getting upset that they were leaving her out again.

“Can we get in there?” Father Octavian asked, catching on as well.

“Those things are usually accessible, right?” Ariel guessed. In the film they had a small forest on the ship that people could walk into. 

“Well, it's a sealed unit, but they must have installed it somehow.,” the Doctor shrugged. He ran up to the back wall and analyzed it closely. “This whole wall should slide up,” he mumbled and his eyes widened as he spotted two devices at the very bottom concealed by some containers. “There's clamps. Release the clamps,” he instructed.

Ariel ran up and helped him move the containers out of the way before heading back and helping him to release the clamps. 

“What’s through there?” Amy demanded, upset that nobody seemed to be answering her or paying her any mind. “What do they need?”

“They need to breathe,” River replied simply.

The Doctor and Ariel slid the rear wall of the flight deck up to reveal a large forest flooded with trees and actual grass and dirt along the floor.

“But that’s,” Amy breathed. “That’s a.”

“It’s an oxygen factory,” River nodded.

Ariel beamed at the large forest and the Doctor smiled softly at her. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close to his chest before pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head.

“It’s a forest!” Amy exclaimed with large eyes.

“Yeah, it's a forest,” River nodded with a grin. “It's an oxygen factory,” she said with a small shrug.

“And if we’re lucky, an escape route,” the Doctor sighed.

“Eight,” Amy chuckled.

“What did you say?” River frowned, catching Amy’s countdown for the first time. 

Ariel glanced at River over her shoulder and shook her head, assuring the woman that while it was concerning she and the Doctor were processing what was going on along with everything else.

“Nothing,” Amy shook her head and with Ariel’s reassurance, River dropped the matter.

“Is there another exit?” The Doctor wondered, narrowing his eyes at the forest.  “Scan the architecture, we don't have time to get lost in there,” he sighed.

“On it,” Father Octavian nodded. He trudged out into the forest to conduct a full scan. “Stay where you are until I've checked the Rad levels,” he instructed.

“But trees, on a spaceship?” Amy frowned.

“I know,” Ariel smiled. “I saw this in a film once. It always looked so cool. The fact that they could just enter a room and be surrounded by trees and nature,” she sighed.

“Oh, more than trees. Way better than trees. You're going to love this,” the Doctor grinned, marching into the forest and pulling some bark off to reveal bright wiring underneath. “Treeborgs!” He exclaimed and Ariel laughed at his adorable childlike giddiness. “Trees plus technology. Branches become cables become sensors on the hull. A forest sucking in starlight, breathing out air. It even rains. There's a whole mini-climate. This vault is an ecopod running right through the heart of the ship. A forest in a bottle on a spaceship in a maze. Have I impressed you yet, Ariel Parsons?” The Doctor smirked, marching up to Ariel and gazing into her stormy grey eyes with a knowing grin.

“Beyond impressed,” Ariel sighed, beaming at him.

The Doctor chuckled and wrapped his arms around her delicately. He brushed his lips against hers sweetly and she smiled into the kiss.

“Seven,” Amy sighed and the Doctor pulled away and frowned at Amy.

“Seven?” The Doctor prompted.

“Sorry, what,” Amy frowned, shaking her head at the Doctor.

“You said seven,” the Doctor informed her. 

“No, I didn’t,” Amy scoffed.

“Yes, you did,” River nodded and Amy’s eyes inflated, wide in terror at the fact that she couldn’t remember what she was saying or why.

“We need to figure out what they’re doing to her,” Ariel mumbled to the Doctor. She knew she was stating the obvious but considering the fact that Amy seemed to be counting down to something, it felt as though she needed to restate the urgency of the matter.

“I know,” the Doctor nodded, his tone sounding just as concerned as she felt.

However, before they could even begin to investigate what they Angels make be doing to Amy to make her countdown, Father Octavian returned.

“Doctor, there's an exit, far end of the ship, into the Primary Flight Deck,” he informed them.

“Oh, good,” the Doctor sighed. “That's where we need to go,” he nodded.

“Plotting a safe path now,” Father Octavian announced, nodding as he turned back into the forest and trudged ahead.

“Quick as you like,” the Doctor smiled, spinning around and dropping into the white chair at the center of the controls. 

“Doctor? Excuse me? Hello, Doctor? Angel Bob here, sir,” Angel Bob called through the radio.

“Ah. There you are, Angel Bob,” the Doctor hummed. “How's life? Sorry, bad subject,” he winced and Ariel snickered. He smirked slightly to himself. He always enjoyed the little moments when he could make her smile.

“The Angels are wondering what you hope to achieve,” Angel Bob said.

“Achieve?” The Doctor prompted with a small frown. “We're not achieving anything,” he shrugged. “We're just hanging. It's nice in here. Consoles, comfy chairs, a forest. How's things with you?”

“The Angels are feasting, sir,” Angel Bob hummed. “Soon we will be able to absorb enough power to consume this vessel, this world. and all the stars and worlds beyond.”

“That’s a bit overdramatic,” Ariel winced.

“Well, we’ve got comfy chairs,” the Doctor said awkwardly. “Did I mention?” He asked.

“We have no need of comfy chairs,” Angel Bob said and Ariel broke down laughing.

A Weeping Angel just said comfy chairs. 

“I made him say comfy chairs,” the Doctor chuckled, nodding and laughing along with Ariel who just grinned at him.

“Six,” Amy announced and the laughter in the room died. 

The Doctor inhaled sharply and jumped out of the chair. “Okay, Bob, enough chat. Here's what I want to know. What have you done to Amy?” He asked. 

“There’s something in her eye,” Angel Bob said.

“Oh, Angel Bob skip the ominous phrases and get to the point!” Ariel snapped. 

“Yeah, what’s in her eyes?” The Doctor asked.

“We are,” Angel Bob hummed and Ariel could have sworn if that Angel was able to smile he was doing it.

“What's he talking about?” Amy frowned. “Doctor, I'm five. I mean, five. Fine!” She cried, shaking her head. “I'm fine,” she assured them with a nod.

“You’re counting,” Ariel informed her.

“Counting?” Amy prompted with a small frown. 

“You're counting down from ten,” the Doctor nodded. “You have been for a couple of minutes.”

“Why?” Amy wondered.

“I don’t know,” the Doctor mumbled.

“Well, counting down to what?” Amy asked.

“I don’t know,” the Doctor repeated with a soft sigh.

“Amy, we don’t know what’s going on yet but I promise we’re working it out,” Ariel assured her with a short nod. “We’ll figure out what’s going on.”

“We shall take her,” Angel Bob said. “We shall take all of you. We shall have dominion over all time and space,” he told them.

“Oh, again with the overdramatics,” Ariel moaned.

“Get a life, Bob,” the Doctor sighed and Ariel snorted. “Oops, sorry again,” the Doctor smiled, not sounding sorry at all. “There's power on this ship, but nowhere near that much.”

“Yeah, you can’t gain dominance over all of time and space with one tiny shipwreck,” Ariel frowned.

“With respect, there's more power on this ship than either of you yet understand,” Angel Bob said.

All of a sudden, there was a loud nearly deafening screeching noise and Ariel winced, covering her ears at the sound.

“Oh, my God!” Ariel cried.

“What’s that?” River frowned. “Dear God, what is it?” She mumbled.

“They’re back,” Father Octavian, his tone the exact opposite of pleased when he spoke. 

“It's hard to put in your terms, Doctor Song, but as best I understand it, the Angels are laughing,” Angel Bob informed them.

“Laughing?” The Doctor repeated with a small frown.

“Why are they laughing?” Ariel wondered.

“Because neither of you have noticed yet. The Doctor and Ariel in the Tardis haven’t noticed,” Angel Bob taunted.

“Doctor, Ariel,” Father Octavian breathed, clearly thinking they should get moving. 

“No. Wait,” the Doctor snapped, holding up a hand to silence Father Octavian. “There’s something we’ve missed,” he sighed.

“But what?” Ariel wondered.

The Doctor grabbed her hand and squeezed tightly. 

“Corner of your eye,” the Doctor mumbled, reminding her of the words he said to her when he had first regenerated and they were investigating the hidden door. She smiled softly at the memory.

They both turned slowly towards the direction they didn’t want to see most and Ariel inhaled sharply at the sight of the crack in the wall just like the one in Amy’s bedroom. 

A steaming W crack in the bulkhead shined brightly above the entrance, and it was widening.

“That's, that's, that's like the crack from my bedroom wall from when I was a little girl,” Amy gasped.

Ariel and the Doctor nodded.

“Yes,” the Doctor agreed.

“Exactly like it,” Ariel mumbled.

“Two parts of space and time that should never have touched,” the Doctor mumbled.

“Okay, enough,” Father Octavian snapped, his impatience at their stalling growing. “We're moving out.”

“Agreed,” River nodded. “Ariel? Doctor?” River prompted.

“Yeah, fine,” the Doctor sighed. He didn’t seem fine though. His bright green eyes were encapsulated by the bright light shining from the crack. He took slow and steady steps towards it and Ariel glanced at River with concern etched across her face.

River nodded, understanding her fear. “What are you doing?” River asked him.

“Right with you,” the Doctor assured her, hardly hearing her question.

He stood up on a chair and scanned the crack with his sonic.

“We're not leaving without you,” River frowned, exhausted by the fact that he still thought she would willingly leave.

“Oh, yes you are,” the Doctor hummed. “Bishop?”

“Miss Pond, Miss Parsons, Doctor Song, now!” Father Octavian snapped.

“Oh, if you think I’m leaving him you’ve got another thing coming, mate,” Ariel scoffed.

“We have to go, now!” Father Octavian barked. “Leave the Doctor to his devices,” he shrugged.

“I haven’t left that man on his own for a year and you know why? Because when I leave him alone he gets reckless and not just with what he’s doing. He gets reckless with his own life and without him I have nothing. He is the only family have left and if he dies, I die so get off your bloody high horse and stop assuming you can boss me around because I’m the only one that gets to decide if want to risk my life. Not River, not him, and  _ certainly _ not you!” Ariel barked. 

Father Octavian looked about as white as a sheet at her words while River just snickered and shook her head at the woman she loved. She never changed.

Meanwhile, the Doctor was watching Ariel with a large grin. He wished they had the time for him to describe how he felt the exact same for her and even more.

“Right then,” Father Octavian gulped. “Doctor Song, Miss Pond, with me,” he nodded. “I hope you know what you’re doing,” he murmured to Ariel.

“I never do,” Ariel assured him with a smile.

Father Octavian sighed and shook his head, waving to the women that were leaving with him to run ahead of him. 

The Doctor took a deep breath and stuck his sonic in the crack once again. 

“So, what are you?” The Doctor hummed. He pulled out his sonic again and frowned at the readings. “Oh, that's bad. Ah, that's extremely very not good,” he murmured.

“What is it?” Ariel asked.

“It’s an explosion,” the Doctor sighed, hopping off the chair but keeping his eye on the readings. “It’s an explosion in the fabric of reality and that explosion is cracking through the entire universe.”

“Bloody hell,” Ariel frowned. “How can we stop an explosion that’s happening?” 

“I have no idea,” the Doctor mumbled.

They turned to the forest and found themselves surrounded by Angels.

“Oh, God,” Ariel breathed, her eyes widening instinctively in the presence of the Weeping Angels.

“Do not blink,” the Doctor murmured and Ariel nodded. She focused on as many Angels as she could but as they had to get into the forest and were quite literally surrounded by the Angels they were bound to miss some.

The Doctor grabbed her hand and they tried to tiptoe through the Angels but some of them still moved.

Ariel felt a hand snatch her jacket collar and pull her backwards. “Argh!” Ariel cried as she was pulled backwards.

“Ariel!” The Doctor screamed. He turned with wide eyes and focused on the Angel, making sure he didn’t blink. At the moment, he was the only thing keeping Ariel alive.


	12. Jealousy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The future Doctor that showed up is in this part and I was so excited to write him! I love writing when the timelines cross for some reason. It's always a lot of fun.

“Hold on, why are you not dead?” The Doctor frowned.

“Aren’t you staring at the Angel?” Ariel assumed, sincerely hoping he was otherwise she would be dead in a matter of moments.

“I am,” the Doctor nodded. “But the are dozens of other Angels here. We should be dead by now.”

“Then what-?” Ariel began, glancing around when her eyes fell on a couple Angels standing before the crack in the wall hands raised as though they were praising it. “The crack,” Ariel breathed.

“Good, and not so good,” the Doctor muttered. “Oh, this isn't even a little bit good,” he mumbled and Ariel squirmed in the jacket. “Can you get out?”

“I’m trying,” Ariel winced. “The stone is scraping my neck, but never mind me. What about the crack?” She implored, nodding at him with wide eyes.

The Doctor seemed to understand and nodded, sighing softly as Ariel wormed her way out of the jacket.

“Is that it?” He wondered, narrowing his eyes at the crack. “Is that the power that brought you here? That's pure Time Energy. You can't feed on that. That's now power, that's the fire at the end of the universe,” he rambled granting Ariel just enough time to wiggle out of the jacket. The knuckles of the Angel scratched the back of her neck but she eventually collapsed into the Doctor’s arms and he grinned at her. “I'll tell you something else,” he hummed, keeping his eyes on the Angels as he grabbed Ariel’s hand and helped her to her feet. 

They scrambled away from the Angels and into the forest before they could get a grapple on the fact that all they had ahold of was a suit.

“Never let me talk!” The Doctor laughed and Ariel giggled as he tightened his grip on her hand and they ran as fast as possible.

When they got far enough away, the Doctor skidded to a stop and pulled Ariel to the sight, gazing around wildly to ensure there were no Angels before glancing down at her. “Let me see it,” the Doctor breathed.

“It’s nothing,”  Ariel assured him with a small shrug. 

“That Angel nearly snapped your neck,” the Doctor reminded her. “It’s not nothing.”

Ariel huffed out a sigh of feigned irritation, pretending to be upset at his needless concern but silently touched that worried so much about a few scrapes.

She brushed her hair away and turned so he could inspect. The cuts were more red than anything. They weren’t bleeding which was a good sign, but the cuts were large.

The Doctor sighed softly and pulled her hair back to rest over her neck. “Do you think you’ll be alright until we get into the Tardis?” He asked. He didn’t exactly have any way he could help her at the moment. 

“I can, Doctor,” Ariel smiled. “As adorable as your concern is, it’s fine,” she assured him. “I think the adrenaline is keeping me from really feeling the pain,” she chuckled.

The Doctor grinned and brushed a few stray strands of brown hair out of her face. “I don’t like getting you in danger.”

“You’re not the one who put me in danger,” Ariel said, shaking her head. “As much as I need to be here. I want to even more. I could go and live with my Uncle for a bit if I really felt like I needed a place, but I want to stay with you. I want to keep traveling with you and I want to keep seeing wonders, but more than any of that I want to be with you,” Ariel insisted.

The Doctor smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist. “You’re sure you’re not just staying that ‘cos you don’t wanna live with your Uncle?” He asked.

“Well,” Ariel sighed and the Doctor’s eyes grew wide. “I’m kidding!” Ariel giggled. “You’re amazing, and brilliant, and wonderful and kind. I wouldn’t wanna be anywhere other than risking my life with you,” she beamed.

He smiled and a wave of relief washed over him. He knew she was kidding but it was always nice to hear her assure him that she wouldn’t be leaving him. He knew he shouldn’t worry but it was easy to grow fearful when all he’d ever experienced was people he cared about leaving. Admittedly, not all of them were by choice but they were gone nonetheless and he could never get them back. It was nice to know that the brilliant woman in his arms wouldn’t dare leave his side if she had a say in it.

He traced his hands up her curves to her wavy hair which had grown a bit past its shoulder-length origins when she first met him. He smiled at the memory of her forehead gliding into the side of his Tardis. She was still by far one of the happiest accidents he had ever encountered.

He threaded his hands in her hair, tipping her head up before his lips descended on hers. She smiled into the kiss, everytime his lips merely grazed hers she knew she was tasting heaven.

His lips felt like that first bite of chocolate after a bad day, like sinking into your bed after draining yourself at school, like the first sunny day after weeks of rain. 

When his tongue swept into her mouth, it glided against hers and made her dizzy in a second, flat. 

She felt him beginning to pull away, she dug her fists into his shirt and pulled him closer, not wanting to let him go for a single second. Nothing else mattered in that moment but the feeling of his lips on hers. A hundred Angels could have been swarming them and ready to break their necks the moment they pulled apart and Ariel wouldn’t have cared.

However, all too soon he pulled out of her grasp making her whine at the loss of his lips on hers while he just chuckled.

He messed up his floppy hair before holding out his hand to her. “Come on,” the Doctor nodded. “We have to help the others,” he reminded her.

“Right, the others,” Ariel moaned as she took his hand. It seemed the moments she managed to steal with the Doctor always managed to be interrupted by their needing to save other people. She wouldn’t complain. She was sure one day it would irritate her far more than it did at the moment, but right then it was just a minor pest to be addressed at a later date.

The Doctor chuckled and squeezed her hand.

Ariel glanced back behind them with a sigh and her eyes widened when she spotted the Angels. “Doctor,” she breathed. “Maybe, we shouldn’t have stopped,” she proposed with a small shrug.

“Wha-Oh,” the Doctor sighed as he spotted the Angels heading into the forest. “Perhaps, you’re right,” he mumbled. “Ready to run?”

“Always,” Ariel smiled. The Doctor grinned and took a deep breath before they broke into a run to get back to the group.

After a few minute running they found a small clearing where a few Clerics had surrounded the area and bolted towards it.

“Father Octavian, when the Doctor and Ariel are in the room, your one and only mission is to keep them alive long enough to get everyone else home. And trust me, it's not easy,” River assured the Bishop. “Now, if they’re dead back there, I'll never forgive myself. And if they’re alive, I'll never forgive them. And, you two are standing right behind me, aren't you?” River sighed.

“Oh, yeah,” the Doctor smirked.

“I hate both of you,” River moaned.

“You don’t,” the Doctor chuckled and shook his head.

Ariel just laughed and hopped down into the clearing with the Doctor. River had placed Amy on a small patch of what looked like moss and she had rested her head down. Whatever the Angels were doing to her, it looked like it was seriously beginning to take its toll.

“Bishop, the Angels are in the forest,” the Doctor informed Father Octavian.

“We need visual contact on every line of approach,” Father Octavian instructed the Clerics.

“How did you get past them?” River wondered.

“We didn’t get off scot-free if that’s what you’re thinking,” Ariel mumbled. She lifted up her hair and flashed the scrapes to River.

River’s eyes inflated at the sight. “What happened?” She gasped, brushing her fingers over the injury delicately but still making Ariel wince. 

“I lost the Doctor’s jacket,” Ariel moped and the Doctor laughed.

“That was my favorite one too,” the Doctor chuckled.

River smiled and shook her head at the pair. She loved their combined ability to laugh through the pain. 

“But if the Angels got this close, how did you escape?” River wondered.

“I found a crack in the wall and told them it was the end of the universe,” the Doctor shrugged, taking River’s portable computer to read the scans the woman had done on Amy.

“What was it?” Amy wondered.

The Doctor looked at Ariel with wide eyes and she just shrugged, unsure of what to say while River continued to inspect her neck. 

It was a strange glimpse of their future and the life River had already lived through with the pair of them. The Doctor and Ariel, reckless and carefree in nature didn’t pay much mind to any wounds or near scrapes they had endured as adrenaline pumped through their bodies as though it was a constant part of their bloodstream and River helped keep them off the cliff edge they teetered on constantly. It was a strange contradiction from the way she had been raised, but she’d be the nurse to their wounds any day if it meant keeping her two favorite people in the world just a bit longer.

“It was the end of the universe,” the Doctor responded quickly as though the speedy pace of his words would distract from the threat they posed. “Let's have a look, then,” he mumbled, peering down at the scans.

“So, what’s wrong with me?” Amy asked.

“Nothing,” River assured her. “You’re fine,” she said, her eyes wide in a silent warning for the Doctor not to concur with her obvious lie.

“Everything. You’re dying,” the Doctor said, immediately negating her words.

“Yeah, you shouldn’t really expect him to lie with something like that,” Ariel winced.

“Doctor,” River moaned, still irritated with him nonetheless.

“Yes, you're right,” the Doctor said sarcastically. “If we lie to her, she'll get all better. Right. Amy, Amy, Amy. What's the matter with Amelia? Something's in her eye. What does that mean? Does it mean anything?”

“You said the Angels were in her eye and that the eyes were doorways to the soul,” Ariel reminded him.

“Yes, but you know I just say things without thinking,” the Doctor sighed.

“No, you don’t though,” Ariel frowned. “You’re really brilliant. You just don’t always understand the full meaning of what you say until later.”

“Right, well, it’s later and I’m still not understanding how her looking into the Angel’s eyes could’ve been a gateway!” The Doctor snapped.

“Doctor,” Amy moaned.

“Busy,” the Doctor mumbled.

“Scared,” Amy breathed.

“Course you're scared. You're dying.  _ Shut up _ ,” the Doctor groaned, obviously exhausted with her complaining when he was trying to understand what was going on and why the eyes of the Angel were so dangerous. 

Despite herself, Ariel snickered at the Doctor’s words.

“Okay, let him think,” River sighed. “Ariel, you’re good for now but we’re going to need to bandage that later.”

“Thanks,” Ariel smiled. She got up while River returned to Amy’s side. She walked over to the Doctor’s side and brushed his arm, peering at the readings done on Amy.

“What happened?” The Doctor mumbled. “She stared at the Angel. She looked into the eyes of an Angel for too long,” he said.

“And the Angel is taking her,” Ariel frowned. “How does that work?” 

“I don’t know,” the Doctor said through gritted teeth. “And I hate not knowing.”

“Sir!” One of the Clerics exclaimed. “Angel incoming.”

“And here,” another announced.

“Keep visual contact. Do not let it move,” Father Octavian instructed.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Ariel gasped. “The book said the eyes are doorways. So it’s a way for the Angel to walk in?” She proposed.

“She watched an Angel climb out of the screen. She stared at the Angel and, and,” the Doctor rambled.

“The image of an Angel is an Angel,” Ariel breathed.

“A living mental image in a living human mind,”the Doctor nodded. “But we stare at them to stop them getting closer. We don't even blink, and that is exactly what they want. Because as long as our eyes are open, they can climb inside. There's an Angel in her mind,” he gasped before covering his mouth as he realized he said that right in front of Amy.

“Three,” Amy announced. “Doctor, it's coming. I can feel it. I'm going to die,” she mumbled.

“Please just shut up,” the Doctor snapped. “We’re thinking. Now, counting. What's that about? Bob, why are they making her count?” He asked into the communicator.

“To make her afraid, sir,” Angel Bob answered.

“Okay, but why?” The Doctor persisted. “What for?”

“Why do you lot want her afraid?” Ariel asked.

“For fun, ma’am,” Angel Bob replied, a hint of laughter in his tone.

The Doctor inhaled sharply and clenched his jaw. He gripped the communicator tightly and Ariel’s eyes widened.

“Doctor, don’t,” Ariel warned, spinning around and placing her hands on his chest. 

“I-,” the Doctor began, his tone sounding more like a snarl than formal speech.

“I know,” Ariel nodded. “But don’t get angry. You never solve anything when you’re upset. It doesn’t help.”

“Just give me one moment,” the Doctor mumbled.

Ariel nodded and stepped to the side. The Doctor let out a loud scream and tossed the communicator at a tree. He let out a shuddering breath and spun around, nodding to Ariel and silently assuring him of his newfound ease.

“Doctor, what's happening to me? Explain,” Amy insisted.

“Inside your head, in the vision centres of your brain, there's an Angel. It's like there's a screen, a virtual screen inside your mind and the Angel is climbing out of it, and it's coming to shut you off,” the Doctor explained.

“Then what do I do?” Amy asked.

“How do you stop something that’s inside of her?” Ariel frowned.

“If it was a real screen, what would we do?” The Doctor wondered. “We'd pull the plug. We'd kill the power. But we can't just knock her out, the Angel would just take over,” he sighed.

“Then what?” River prompted. “Quickly,” she insisted as she gazed down at Amy’s vitals.

“We've got to shut down the vision centres of her brain. We've got to pull the plug. Starve the Angel,” the Doctor muttered.

“How would we do that?” Ariel asked.

“She’s got seconds,” River announced.

“How would you starve your lungs?” The Doctor proposed.

“I’d stop breathing,” River shrugged.

“Amy, close your eyes,” the Doctor instructed.

“No,” Amy whined. “No, I don’t want to.”

“Good, because that's not you, that's the Angel inside you. It's afraid. Do it. Close your eyes,” the Doctor insisted.

“Amy, you’ve got seconds you’ve gotta trust him on this,” Ariel said.

Amy hesitated, but after a moment she closed her eyes as she was told to do.

The Doctor and Ariel glanced over at River who was monitoring Amy’s pulse with wide eyes.

“She's normalising,” River sighed. “Oh, you did it. You did it,” she grinned at the Doctor.

Ariel beamed at the Doctor and turned, kissing his soundly on the lips in sheer ecstasy.

“Sir? Two more incoming,” one of the Clerics announced.

“Three more over here,” another said.

“Can we get her moving?” Ariel asked, nodding to Amy. 

“Still weak,” River said, shaking her head. “Dangerous to move her.”

“Well, what are we supposed to do?” Ariel sighed.

“So, can I open my eyes now?” Amy asked.

“Amy, listen to me. If you open your eyes now for more than a second, you will die. The Angel is still inside you. We haven't stopped it, we've just sort of paused it. You've used up your countdown. You cannot open your eyes,” the Doctor instructed.

“So, that’s a no,” Ariel nodded.

“Doctor, we're too exposed here,” Father Octavian sighed. “We have to move on.”

“We're too exposed everywhere,” the Doctor shrugged. “And Amy can't move. And anyway, that's not the plan,” he said, shaking his head.

“There’s a plan?” River prompted.

“Not yet,” Ariel shook her head. She knew the Doctor’s plan face and it usually occurred when he had rambled enough to understand where he was going.

“She’s right. I haven't finished talking,” the Doctor nodded. “Right! Father, you and your Clerics, you're going to stay here, look after Amy. If anything happens to her, I'll hold every single one of you personally responsible, twice. River, you, Ariel and me, we're going to find the Primary Flight Deck which is-,” he paused, wetting a finger and spinning around. He found the direction they had to go and sighed. “A quarter of a mile straight ahead, and from there we're going to stabilise the wreckage, stop the Angels, and cure Amy.”

“How?” River wondered.

“I’ll do a thing,” the Doctor shrugged.

“What thing?” River implored.

“I don't know,” the Doctor sighed. “It's a thing in progress. Respect the thing. Moving out!” He exclaimed, marching forward in the direction they had to do.

Ariel jumped up and walked to his side and the Doctor beamed down at her. He held out his arm and she looped her arm though his happily.

“Doctor, I'm coming with you,” Father Octavian said, stepping in front of the couple before they could leave. “My Clerics'll look after Miss Pond. These are my best men. They'd lay down their lives in her protection,” he promised.

“I don’t need you,” the Doctor shrugged.

“I don't care,” Father Octavian retorted. “Where Doctor Song goes, I go,” he said, nodding to River.

“Why’s that?” Ariel wondered.

“What? You two engaged or something?” The Doctor guessed with a small frown.

“Yes, in a manner of speaking,” Father Octavian sighed and Ariel and the Doctor shared an alarmed look. “Marco, you're in charge till I get back,” he instructed one of the Clerics.

“Sir,” the Cleric nodded.

“Doctor? Please, can't I come with you?” Amy requested.

“You’d slow us down, Miss Pond,” Father Octavian sighed. 

“I don't want to sound selfish, but you'd really speed me up,” Amy snapped. 

Ariel chuckled and the Doctor tapped her arm. “One moment,” he mumbled.

Ariel nodded and pulled her arm away from his for him to go running back to Amy’s side and console her once more before leaving. 

Ariel glanced back with a small frown as she watched the Doctor wrap his arm around Amy.

“Nothing’s going to get done with you watching them like that,” River murmured in her ear.

“Not true,” Ariel shook her head. “If I watch for long enough I might go mad enough to be sanctioned,” she suggested.

River chuckled and wrapped her arm around Ariel. “The Doctor is yours. At the end of the day, he’ll be yours and you’ll be his.”

“As much as you say that it still doesn’t make this any easier. I’m probably just crazy but I keep getting this feeling like something bad is gonna happen. Last time I got that Rose came back and I had to make plans to try and get a job with Torchwood,” Ariel sighed.

“And he still came back to you at the end of the day,” River reminded her. “No matter what you feel, the Doctor does and always will love you. Besides, if he ever broke your heart I’d kill him twice,” River assured her and the brunette giggled.

“Thanks, Riv,” Ariel smiled.

“Anytime, love.”

“Alright, time to get going!” The Doctor exclaimed, hopping up to them.

Ariel brightened instantly at his return and the Doctor seemed far happier being in her presence again as well. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her and she did the same as they marched away from the group and off to the primary flight deck.

Meanwhile, at the clearing, another version of the Doctor bolted through the bushes and grabbed Amy’s hands. This wasn’t the Doctor trudging through the woods with Ariel though he wore the same face. This was a Doctor born of the future. A Doctor who had learned just who made the universe explode and why. It was the fate awaiting the couple marching in the woods. A fate that had awaited them since the day Ariel Parsons stepped foot inside his Tardis.

“Amy, you need to start trusting Ariel. It's never been more important,” the Doctor insisted.

“But she doesn’t look at me like she wants to be my friend,” Amy reasoned. “She looks at me like I’m the enemy.”

“That’s because she’s scared,” the Doctor chuckled. “She’s scared to death right now but you need to trust her.”

“Why is she scared?”

“She’s scared of what’s to come and she’s scared I won’t be there with her when it happens,” the Doctor sighed. This Doctor had learned exactly what was going through the mind of his Ariel at this point in his timeline. He knew everything about her and in return he had granted her the one thing he never told anyone. He told her the answer to the one question echoed throughout time.

“But you and her,” Amy mumbled. “I want that sort of relationship with you,” she mumbled, shrugging slightly. 

“No. No, that's not the point,” the Doctor sighed.

Behind him, there was a soft moan of pain. The Doctor looked back with wide eyes. She was still healing. She shouldn’t be in that forest. He had to move to the next point in their timeline quickly.

“Just-,” the Doctor began.

“Doctor, the crack in my wall. How can it be here?” Amy wondered.

“I don't know yet, but I'm working it out. Now, listen. Remember what I told you when you were seven?” The Doctor prompted.

“What did you tell me?” Amy asked.

“Just remember,” the Doctor insisted. 

With another cry of pain, the Doctor jumped up and bolted off to help her through the next crack in their timeline, leaving Amy blind and helpless.

~~~

Across the forest, the present Doctor frowned at the readings on the portable computer. 

“That’s a bit odd,” Ariel remarked, peering at the readings. 

“You bet it is,” the Doctor nodded. 

“What is it?” River asked.

“Er, readings from a crack in the wall,” the Doctor replied with a small shrug.

“The end of the universe,” Ariel nodded.

“How can a crack in the wall be the end of the universe?” River wondered.

“Don't know, but here's what I think. One day there's going to be a very big bang. So big every moment in history, past and future, will crack,” the Doctor said.

“But Doctor, is that what this means? The woman fated to destroy the universe? Am I the reason those cracks exist?”

“Possibly,” the Doctor hummed. “If that’s the case it’s in our future and we can’t know for sure,” he assured her.

“But at a guess?” Ariel prompted, raising an eyebrow at him. The Doctor glanced down at her and sighed. There were times throughout traveling when he lied or played ignorant to protect those he would give the universe to keep safe, but he knew he couldn’t try that with Ariel. She knew well enough when he was lying, and she’d always insisted that he tell her everything. No matter how bad, she felt better knowing and being of service rather than in the dark.

“Probably, yeah,” the Doctor nodded.

Ariel took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She took a moment before nodding. “Alright then,” she sighed. “We’ll work it out when we get there then.”

The Doctor smiled softly at her and nodded. “We will,” he promised.

“Hold on, is it even possible for the whole of reality to just crack apart?” River frowned. “If it is, how?”

“How can you be engaged, in a manner of speaking?” The Doctor retorted, narrowing his eyes at her.

“Yeah, and especially to him,” Ariel winced. “No offense, he’s just a bit demanding.”

“Well, sucker for a man in uniform,” River shrugged, smirking at the pair of them.

“Doctor Song's in my personal custody. I released her from the Stormcage Containment Facility four days ago and I am legally responsible for her until she's accomplished her mission and earned her pardon,” Father Octavian explained. “Just so we understand each other,” he sighed.

He marched onward and the Doctor frowned at River. “You were in Stormcage?” 

“No, hold on, let the ignorant little human in on your space knowledge,” Ariel demanded. “What’s the Stormcage?”

“It’s a prison in the 52nd century,” the Doctor sighed, glancing back down at the readings on the portable computer. “Created to house only the most dangerous criminals.”

“Bloody hell, what did you do?” Ariel frowned.

“Long story,” River shrugged. 

Before she could explain, she was saved by the bell when the computer chirped with new analysis.

“What? What is that?” River frowned.

The computer scanned the information plugged into it by the sonic and rather than give them any conclusive information about it, it just spat out what looked like a date.

“Is that-?” Ariel began.

“The date,” the Doctor finished with a nod. “The date of the explosion, where the crack begins.”

“And for those of us who can't read the base code of the universe?” River prompted.

The scanner read: 26 06 2010.

“Amy’s time,” the Doctor breathed.

“Hold on, are we in 2010?” Ariel frowned.

“Yeah, why?” The Doctor prompted.

“Around what month do you think it is?” She asked. 

“April,” the Doctor guessed with a slight shrug.

“Oh, I missed it again!” Ariel moaned.

“What? What is it?” River asked.

“Oh, it’s nothing to do with this,” Ariel sighed. “I just missed my birthday again,” she mumbled. “I kept telling myself I was gonna catch it after I turned 19 but I got distracted,” she winced.

“Tell you what,” the Doctor smirked. “First chance we get I’ll take you to visit Queen Victoria and Vincent van Gogh. You can celebrate your belated birthday with some of your favorite people,” he promised.

Ariel turned to him with a small smile. “As brilliant as that would be, you’re my favorite person. I don’t need something special done. I just wanted to be with people I care about,” she shrugged. “And mission accomplished,” she grinned, gesturing to the Doctor and River.

River chuckled and pulled Ariel into a hug. “If I can give you a tiny spoiler I can tell you that you remember one of your birthdays in the future and it is a far bigger celebration than running through a forest from Angels,” she promised.

“Thanks, River,” Ariel giggled.

The Doctor smiled and draped his arm over Ariel’s shoulders as they carried on walking once again.

“So, twenty, huh?” The Doctor smirked.

“And to think, when I met you I was still in school,” Ariel chuckled.

“Oh, that’s right,” the Doctor frowned. “You never did finish school, did you?”

“Doctor,  since then I’ve met Isaac Newton and Alan Turing. I think I’m set,” she giggled.

The Doctor chuckled and pulled her close to his chest as the trio continued to walk through the forest in the hopes of getting to the primary flight deck in time before the Angels converged on the Clerics or Amy opened her eyes.

Eventually they arrived and Father Octavian scowered the deck for an entrance while River kept an eye on the forest with her gun raised in case any Angels showed up.

“It doesn't open it from here, but it's the Primary Flight Deck. This has got to be a service hatch or something,” Father Octavian sighed.

The Doctor was hardly paying attention. He was more focused on the readings he had gotten from the crack.

“Hurry up and open it,” River snapped. “Time's running out.”

The Doctor turned to her so quickly Ariel worried he might get whiplash. “What?” He gasped. “What did you say? Time's running out, is that what you said?”

“Yeah,” River frowned at Ariel who simply shrugged. She wasn’t clued into every little thought the Doctor had. She could understand what he was thinking most of the time, but occasionally his train of thought went beyond what either of them understood at the moment. “I just meant-.”

“I know what you meant. Hush,” the Doctor mumbled, holding up a hand to silence her. “But what if it could?”

“What if what could?” River frowned.

The Doctor turned to Ariel and seemed to only be focusing on her in that moment. “Time,” the Doctor breathed and Ariel’s eyes grew wide. “What if time could run out?”

“Got it!” Father Octavian announced.

“The cracks,” Ariel muttered, following his train of thought while the couple both continued to ignore Father Octavian.

“Cracks,” the Doctor nodded. “Cracks in time. Time running out. No, couldn't be. Couldn't be,” he shook his head.

“But it could, couldn’t it?” Ariel prompted. “I mean her memories,” she sighed.

“You’re right,” the Doctor nodded. “How is a duck pond a duck pond if there aren't any ducks? And she didn't recognise the Daleks,” he added.

“So, the crack can alter timelines,” Ariel assumed with a nod.

“Okay, time can shift. Time can change. Time can be rewritten. Ah. Oh!” The Doctor exclaimed, his eyes widening.

“Doctor Song, get through, now,” Father Octavian said, waving River through the hatch he had opened. “Miss Parsons? Ariel,” Father Octavian called but Ariel ignored him and continued watching the Doctor cautiously.

The Doctor spun his finger clockwise then spun it counterclockwise and smiled. 

“Time can be unwritten,” the Doctor smiled.

“Of course!” Ariel exclaimed, grinning at the Doctor. “That’s why she couldn’t remember anything, it’s wiping away the time she experienced.”

“Not just her,” the Doctor shook his head. “It’s been happening all around us and we haven’t even noticed.”

“Doctor, we have to move,” Father Octavian insisted.

“When has it happened to other people?” Ariel wondered.

“The CyberKing,” the Doctor nodded. “A giant Cyberman walks over all of Victorian London and no one remembers,” he reminded her and Ariel’s eyes widened as she realized that nobody seemed to notice or care after the CyberKing.

“We have to move it. The Angels could be here any second,” Father Octavian warned them.

“Never mind the Angels. There's worse here than Angels,” the Doctor chuckled.

Ariel sighed and nodded along with him, sheer disbelief that she hadn’t realized earlier flooding her core.

“I beg to differ, sir,” Father Octavian choked out.

Ariel and the Doctor spun around and Ariel inhaled sharply at the sight of an Angel with its arm around Father Octavian’s throat.

“Let him go,” the Doctor breathed.

“Well, it can't let me go, sir, can it?” Father Octavian smiled humorlessly. “Not while the pair of you are looking at it,” he reminded them.

“But we can’t stop looking at it either,” Ariel frowned.

“If we stop looking at it, it’ll kill you,” the Doctor nodded.

“It's going to kill me anyway,” Father Octavian shrugged before wincing in pain against the Angel. “Think it through. There's no way out of this. You have to leave me.”

Ariel’s vision began to blur at the very idea. Sure, she had thought Father Octavian annoying and frustrating at times, but she didn’t want to seem him dead. Especially not in such a gruesome way as having his neck snapped by a stone Angel.

“There must be another way,” Ariel insisted.

“Can’t you wriggle out?” The Doctor asked, desperation creeping into his tone. 

They had both expressed distaste for the Bishop, but neither wanted him gone.

Father Octavian tried before shaking his head solemnly. “No, it's too tight. You have to leave me. There's nothing you can do.”

“There’s gotta be something,” Ariel sighed. “Some way to get you out,” she mumbled while the Doctor pulled out his sonic and helplessly scanned the Angel.

“There’s nothing you can do,” Father Octavian insisted.”

“You’re dead if we leave you,” the Doctor reminded him.

“Yes,” Father Octavian nodded. “Yes, I’m dead,” he agreed. “And before you go-.”

“We’re not going,” the Doctor snapped.

“We can’t just leave you,” Ariel sighed.

“Listen to me, it's important,” Father Octavian persisted. “You can't trust her,” he warned them.

“Trust who?” Ariel and the Doctor asked in unison.

“River Song,” Father Octavian replied and Ariel could have sworn she felt her heart stop beating in her chest. “You think you know her, but you don't. You don't understand who or what she is.”

“Then tell us,” the Doctor nodded.

“I've told you more than I should. Now please, you have to go. It's your duty to your friends,” Father Octavian instructed them.

“But you haven’t told us anything about why we shouldn’t trust River,” Ariel frowned.

“Just tell us why she was in Stormcage?” The Doctor prompted.

Father Octavian seemed hesitant, but he closed his eyes and huffed out a soft sigh. “She killed a man. A good man. A hero to many.”

“Who?” The Doctor wondered.

“You don't want to know, sir. You really don't,” Father Octavian assured him.

“Father, who did she kill?” Ariel asked.

Father Octavian sighed softly and shook his head. “Ma’am, the Angels are coming. You have to leave me.”

“We  _ can’t _ leave you,” Ariel insisted. 

“You’ll die,” the Doctor nodded.

“I will die in the knowledge that my courage did not desert me at the end. For that I thank God, and bless the path that takes the two of you to safety,” Father Octavian smiled sadly and Ariel let out a small, soft sob at his words.

“I wish I’d known you better,” the Doctor mumbled.

“I think, sir, you know me at my best,” Father Octavian sighed and Ariel sniffled, wiping away a few stray tears as she watched the man.

“I’m sorry,” Ariel mumbled.

“Nothing to be sorry for, ma’am,” Father Octavian assured her.

The Doctor took a deep breath and looked into Father Octavian’s eyes. “Ready?” He prompted.

“Content,” Father Octavian nodded.

The Doctor grabbed Ariel’s hand and with a soft sigh, he started running and didn’t bother to stop for a moment until they had both crawled through the hatch to the primary flight deck and closed the entrance. 

“There's a teleport,” River announced. “If I can get it to work. we can beam the others here. Where's Octavian?” She asked with a small frown.

Ariel sniffled and wiped her eyes.

“Octavian's dead,” the Doctor sighed. “So is that teleport. You're wasting your time. I'm going to need your communicator,” he said, holding out his hand.

River seemed to be frozen in shock and just numbly passed him the device.

“Good,” the Doctor nodded. “Now comfort Ariel. I need to get to Amy.”

“I’m fine,” Ariel assured him, her cracked voice speaking otherwise.

“No, you’re not,” the Doctor said firmly. “And since I can’t comfort you I’m going to make sure someone can.”

Ariel smiled softly as River walked over and wrapped Ariel in a hug.

“What’s wrong?” River breathed.

“I’m still not very good with dealing with this sort of stuff yet,” Ariel mumbled. 

She had gotten used to having people die when traveling with the Doctor against her own wishes, but she still wasn’t able to move on as quickly as the Doctor. 

“It’s alright,” River assured her, rubbing her back in comfort. “You’re alright.”

Ariel sniffled and nodded, pulling out of River’s arms and smiling sadly at the woman. 

“Thanks,” Ariel breathed. “I’m okay,” she nodded.

“You’re sure?” River prompted.

“No,” Ariel shook her head. “But I’ll be okay for now,” she assured her.

River hesitated, but accepted her words and stepped back. She turned to the Doctor and frowned.

“Trying to get in contact with Amy,” the Doctor sighed. “One of the Clerics should have a communicator that I can use to-.”

Just then a soft voice came through on the communicator steadily growing louder as the Doctor sonicked it.

“Hello? Hello? Hello? Please say you're there. Hello? Hello?” Amy’s voice prompted.

“Amy? Amy? Is that you?” The Doctor frowned.

“Why aren’t the Clerics on the communicator?” Ariel wondered.

“I don’t know,” the Doctor sighed.

“Doctor?” Amy prompted. 

“Where are you? Are the Clerics with you?” The Doctor asked. 

“They’ve gone,” Amy sighed. “There was a light and they walked into the light. Doctor, they didn't even remember each other.”

“No, they wouldn’t,” the Doctor muttered.

“Time’s being unwritten,” Ariel mumbled, nodding at the ginger’s words. 

“What is that light?” River asked.

“Time running out,” the Doctor replied. “Amy, I'm sorry, I made a mistake. I should never have left you there.”

“Well, what do I do now?” Amy wondered.

“You come to us,” the Doctor sighed. “The Primary Flight Deck, the other end of the forest.”

“I can’t see!” Amy exclaimed. “I can’t open my eyes.”

The Doctor took a deep breath and pulled out his sonic. He placed it in the end of the sonic and turned it on. “Turn on the spot,” he instructed Amy.

“Sorry, what?” Amy frowned.

“Just do it. Turn on the spot,” the Doctor nodded. “When the communicator sounds like my screwdriver, that means you're facing the right way. Follow the sound. You have to start moving now. There's Time Energy spilling out of that crack, and you have to stay ahead of it,” he instructed.

“But the Angels, they're everywhere,” Amy reasoned.

“I'm sorry, I really am, but the Angels can only kill you,” the Doctor shrugged.

“The Time Energy will do things far worse,” Ariel muttered.

“What does the Time Energy do?” Amy asked.

“Just keep moving!” The Doctor snapped.

“Tell me,” Amy sighed.

The Doctor glanced at Ariel in exasperation and Ariel shrugged. “Just tell her,” she said. “It might help her to go faster.”

The Doctor took a deep breath and rubbed his forehead, before nodding with his decision made. “If the Time Energy catches up with you, you'll never have been born. It will erase every moment of your existence. You will never have lived at all,” he told her. “Now, keep your eyes shut and keep moving.”

“It’s never going to work,” River moaned.

“We don’t have any other plans,” Ariel sighed.

“What else have you got! River! Tell me!” The Doctor snapped, tossing the communicator onto the controls.

“Doctor!” Ariel cried. She rushed up to his side and wrapped her arms around her as he clenched his jaw and kept his gaze fixated on the controls. “It’s alright,” she assured him. “This is a good plan,” she nodded. “It’ll work.”

Before he could respond, there was a strange yet loud clanging noise around the ship.

“What’s that?” River frowned.

“The Angels running from the fire. They came here to feed on the Time Energy, now it's going to feed on them,” the Doctor sighed.

“The crack is too much for them,” Ariel breathed.

The Doctor scrambled for the communicator so he could speak to Amy again. “Amy, listen to me. I'm sending a bit of software to your communicator,” he said, pulling out his sonic and pressing it to the communicator. “It's a proximity detector. it'll beep if there's something in your way. You just manoeuvre till the beeping stops. Because, Amy, this is important. The forest is full of Angels. You’re going to have to walk like you can see.”

“What do you mean?” Amy asked.

“Look, just keep moving,” the Doctor sighed.

“Fool them into thinking your eyes are open, Amy,” Ariel instructed.

“That Time Energy, what's it going to do?” River asked.

“Er, keep eating,” the Doctor mumbled under his breath.

“How do we stop it?” River asked.

“Feed it,” the Doctor murmured.

“Feed it what?” River frowned.

“A big, complicated space time event should shut it up for a while,” the Doctor sighed.

“Like what, for instance?” River prompted.

“Like me, for instance!” The Doctor barked and Ariel’s heart stopped beating in her chest.

“No,” Ariel breathed. “No, you can’t do something like that on your own.”

“No choice,” the Doctor sighed.

“Yes, yes, there is a choice,” Ariel nodded. “We can do it together. I’ve traveled in time. The two of us together could shut it up for even longer.”

Before the Doctor could respond with anything but a wide-eyed gaze, there was a strange beeping on the communicator.

“What’s that?” Amy asked.

“It's a warning,” the Doctor hummed. “There are Angels round you now. Amy, listen to me. This is going to be hard but I know you can do it. The Angels are scared and running, and right now they're not that interested in you. They'll assume you can see them and their instincts will kick in. All you've got to do is walk like you can see. Just don't open your eyes. Walk like you can see. You're not moving. You have to do this. Now. You have to do this!” The Doctor snapped.

“Amy, you can do it,” Ariel assured her. “I know you can,” she nodded.

Amy began walking and River continued working on the teleporter. Ariel ran over to her and frowned at the work she was doing.

“Are you still working on the teleporter?” Ariel frowned.

“Yep,” River sighed. 

“Why?” Ariel asked.

“Because no matter what he says, this is our best chance and if I can get it working, then we won’t need to worry about Amy running into the Angels,” River said.

“It’s not going to work,” the Doctor hummed.

“Oh, you hush up and go along with your plan,” River sighed, “And I will go along with mine,” she mumbled.

As if proving her point, Amy’s voice fell through on the communicator wrought with distress. 

“Doctor? I can't find the communicator. I dropped it. I can't find it, Doctor. Doctor!” Amy cried.

The Doctor’s eyes widened and suddenly River began moving a bit faster.

“What’s gonna happen if she doesn’t pick up the communicator in time?” Ariel asked, a sudden sense of urgency flooding through the trio.

“Doctor,”  Amy gasped. “Doctor!”

“The Angels will figure out she can’t see and go after her. They’ll kill her before she can understand what they’re doing because she can’t see!” The Doctor cried, furiously running his fingers through his hair.

“Doctor,” Amy breathed.

River jumped up with a large grin and pulled a lever on the controls. There was a flash of light and Amy appeared on a small teleport pad, collapsing into River’s arms.

“Don't open your eyes. You're on the Flight Deck. The Doctor and Ariel are here. I teleported you,” River explained. “See?” She smirked at the Doctor. “Told you I could get it working.”

“River Song, I could bloody kiss you,” the Doctor beamed.

“Same here,” Ariel giggled.

“Ah, maybe when the pair of you are older,” River chuckled.

Ariel smiled and turned back to the Doctor just as an alarm began blaring. 

“What’s that?” River frowned.

“The Angels are draining the last of the ship's power, which means the shield's going to release,” the Doctor sighed.

The Doctor ran over to the bulkhead at the front of the room as it started to open and an array of Angels were revealed. One of the Angels at the very front of the group had a communicator in its hands.

“Ah, so now we get to see the Angel we’ve been talking to,” Ariel hummed, eaturing to the Angel for the Doctor.

“Angel Bob, I presume,” the Doctor nodded.

“The Time Field is coming,” Angel Bob announced. “It will destroy our reality.”

“We can see that,” Ariel mumbled.

“Yeah, and look at you all, running away,” the Doctor chuckled. “What can we do for you?”

“It’s not about what Ariel can do, it’s about you, sir,” Angel Bob said. “There is a rupture in time. The Angels calculate that if you throw yourself into it, it will close, and they will be saved.”

“You really think I’m gonna let him sacrifice himself alone?” Ariel scoffed.

“He will,” Angel Bob said firmly.

“And what makes you think that?” Ariel frowned.

“Because it will save you,” Angle Bob replied and Ariel paled. 

She looked up at the Doctor and genuinely saw him considering it.

“Well, there’s that,” the Doctor sighed.

“Doctor, you don’t have to do this. I can do it. I can be thrown in. It can be me,” Ariel insisted.

“I've travelled in time,” River nodded. “I'm a complicated space time event too. Throw me in as well,” she added.

“Oh, be serious,” the Doctor sighed. “Compared to me, these Angels are more complicated than you, and it would take every one of them to amount to me, so get a grip.”

“Doctor,” Ariel moaned.

“If you think for one second I’d let you die for me-,” the Doctor began.

“I could say the same for you!” Ariel exclaimed. 

“Doctor, we can’t let you do this,” River insisted.

“No, seriously, get a grip,” the Doctor instructed, nodding to the railings.

“Wait,” Ariel frowned. She thought over his words for a moment and her eyes widened. 

“You’re not going to die here!” River cried.

“No, River, it’s alright,” Ariel grinned.

“I mean it,” the Doctor nodded. “River, Ariel, Amy, get a grip,” he instructed.

River looked over at Ariel with wide eyes, beginning to understand what the Doctor meant and Ariel grinned and nodded, confirming his words.

“Oh, you genius,” River sighed.

The Doctor beamed at the pair of them and pulled Ariel close to press a quick kiss to the top of her head as she bolted over to the railings with River.

“Sir, the Angels need you to sacrifice yourself now,” Angel Bob said.

“Thing is, Bob, the Angels are draining all the power from this ship. Every last bit of it. And you know what? I think they've forgotten where they're standing. I think they've forgotten the gravity of the situation. Or to put it another way, Angels,” the Doctor sighed.

Meanwhile, River helped Amy get her hands around the handles of the console module. 

“You hold on tight and don't you let go for anything,” River instructed Amy.

“Night, night,” the Doctor smiled. He spun around and placed one of his hands over Ariel’s as he held on tightly to the railings by her side.

The gravity in the spaceship failed and the ship tilted sideways and the Angels were thrown backwards into the crack.

The four of them held tightly to the railings as it felt like the most difficult thing to do, their feet all itching to touch the ground and release the handles to get down. 

Luckily, the crack sealed close with the amount of Angels tossed into it and they were safe for the time being.

~~~

Once they climbed out of the wreckage of the Byzantium, the Doctor, Amy and Ariel all headed back to the Tardis and the Doctor convinced Amy to open her eyes assuring her it was safe now that the Angels were gone.

After they escaped the Byzantium they were met with a small collection of Cleric and they were all too happy to put River back in handcuffs while the Doctor just pulled Amy to the side and tried to reassure her that she was safe.

He wrapped Amy in a blanket from the Tardis to Ariel’s displeasure and she stood by River’s side as her Doctor talked to Amy wearing a familiar scowl.

“You’ll never get anywhere watching them like that, you know,” River chuckled.

“Well, apparently nothing changes, so,” Ariel sighed. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “I hate this. I’m completely irrational and I’m basing this all off a feeling.”

“Oh, never doubt the feeling of a woman,” River hummed. “There’s a good part of the time when it isn’t wrong,” she warned.

“And it hasn’t been wrong before,” Ariel insisted. “When Rose came back I felt it but I guess that was different. That was someone he had been with before me. I was more willing to step back when that was the case.”

“And you shouldn’t have to feel the need to step back this time,” River nodded. “At this rate you’ve been with him for, what? A year and a half ?” She guessed.

“If my birthday really has just passed then yeah,” Ariel nodded. 

“Then you shouldn’t feel like you need to step back,” River shrugged. “Not when you’re nearing two years.”

“I know,” Ariel mumbled. “That doesn’t help my jealousy at all though.”

“I know,” River smiled. “Some things you just have to learn to live with, I suppose.”

“That did not help me at all,” Ariel frowned.

“Oh, I’m not big on the advice, my love,” River chuckled. “You’ll learn that in the future.”

“I think I’m learning it now,” Ariel laughed.

The women carried on laughing as the Doctor walked up to them with a large smile. 

“The three of us and handcuffs,” River sighed. “Must it always end this way?” She asked and Ariel snorted.

“What now?” The Doctor wondered.

“The prison ship's in orbit. They'll beam me up any second. I might have done enough to earn a pardon this time. We'll see,” River shrugged.

“Octavian said you killed a man,” the Doctor remembered.

“Did you?” Ariel frowned.

“Yes, I did,” River nodded, hanging her head at the memory.

“A good man,” the Doctor sighed.

“A very good man,” River agreed.

“He must have been bloody stellar to get you locked up in such a big prison,” Ariel remarked.

“The best man I’ve ever known,” River shrugged.

“Who?” The Doctor asked.

“It's a long story. Doctor. It can't be told, it has to be lived. No sneak previews. Well, except for this one. You'll both see me again quite soon, when the Pandorica opens,” River smiled.

“The Pandorica,” the Doctor chuckled. “Ha!” He exclaimed. “That’s a fairytale.”

“Oh, Doctor,” River hummed. “Aren’t we all?” She grinned. “I’ll see you two there.”

“Can’t wait,” Ariel smiled.

“I look forward to it,” the Doctor nodded.

“I remember it well,” River beamed.

“Bye, River,” Amy smiled, stepping forward and nodding politely to the woman. 

“See you, Amy,” River said. Her handcuffs beeped and she sighed softly. “Oh, I think that's my ride,” she announced.

“Can I trust you River Song?” The Doctor asked, tilting his head curiously at the woman.

“If you like,” River shrugged. “Ha, but where's the fun in that?” She chuckled.

River was beamed up in a whirl of sand and Ariel took a deep breath and turned back to the Tardis.

“Well, then,” Ariel mumbled. “I’ll make dinner,” she nodded and with that she headed back inside the Tardis.

“What are you thinking?” Amy asked the Doctor.

“Time can be rewritten,” he sighed, thinking just how he may avoid running into River Song again. She was the future and the future promised all the things he never wanted to face in the time he had left.

~~~

After dinner, the trio headed back into the console room and Amy plopped down into the jumpseat with a sigh while the Doctor headed to the console as he always did.

There was a brief but deafening silence flooding the console room until Amy finally broke it.

“I want to go home,” Amy sighed. 

Ariel’s eyes widened and the Doctor fumbled around on the Tardis, trying not to look put out.

“Okay,” the Doctor murmured.

“Amy, permanently or for a visit?” Ariel clarified.

“For a visit,” Amy frowned. “Why, does he-,” her eyes widened as she realized the Doctor had thought she meant permanently. “Oh, no, not like that,” Amy assured him. “I just, I just want to show you something. You're running from River. I'm running too,” she mumbled.

Ariel frowned and raised an eyebrow at Amy, silently asking if this was it, if Amy was going to finally tell the Doctor she was engaged.

Amy gave her a short nod and Ariel let out a soft sigh. Hopefully, that knowledge would diffuse that jealousy and resentment she had towards Amy. 

The Doctor nodded. “Alright then. Off we go,” the Doctor announced and started up the time rotors to land them back at Amy’s place.

Once they arrived, the Doctor cast a glance over at Ariel who had decidedly planted herself at one of the jumpseats. Amy needed to tell him on her one. She could wait.

“You go ahead,” Ariel nodded. “I’ll stay here.”

The Doctor frowned, but shrugged and decided it was better not to argue it. He walked out of the Tardis with Amy and when the door creaked shut, Ariel stood up and leant on the console.

“Just you and me now, old girl,” Ariel sighed. 

The Tardis hummed in what Ariel hope was delight at the idea.

“I hope one day I can fly you on my own,” Ariel frowned. “I dunno why I feel like I should. I suppose I’d be chuffed if I could take some midnight trip to Buckingham Palace while the Doctor’s sleeping,” she giggled.

Her eyes widened and her smile fell as she realized it had been months since she visited Queen Victoria.

“Oh, blimey, I really should be getting back to helping Victoria,” Ariel frowned. “Last I left her I said I’d take care of Vicky and I haven’t popped by since,” she winced.

The Tardis made a noise that sounded faintly like laughter and Ariel couldn’t help but chuckle herself.

“Oh, it would be funnier if I didn’t feel so bad,” Ariel moaned.

Just then, the scanner blipped and she heard faint voices on it. Ariel frowned and pulled the scanner over to her. 

She saw the Doctor and Amy sitting on Amy’s bed and she frowned. 

“Oh, I shouldn’t be watching this,” Ariel sighed. She walked away and bit her lip. She knew she shouldn’t listen in on their conversation but a part of her was just itching to see what they were talking about.

She hated herself for wanting to snoop on her boyfriend’s conversation with somebody she was supposed to be treating as a friend, not enemy number one.

“I’m small. I’m the smallest person alive. I’m horrible. I’m-.”

In response to her rants, the Tardis turned the volume up on the scanner.

“Fine,” Ariel sighed. “But if this all goes south, I’m blaming you,” Ariel warned, wagging a finger at the machine.

She stepped forward and frowned as she listened to their conversation.

“Why would you need comforting?” The Doctor asked.

“I nearly died,” Amy reminded him with wide eyes. “I was alone in the dark, and I nearly died. And it made me think,” she sighed.

“Well, yes, natural. I think sometimes. Well, lots of times,” the Doctor shrugged. 

“About what I want. About  _ who _ I want. You know what I mean?” Amy prompted.

“Yeah,” the Doctor sighed. His smile fell. “No,” he frowned, shaking his head.

The Doctor may not have known what Amy meant, but Ariel did and she gripped the scanner so tightly her knuckles turned white.

“About who I want,” Amy repeated, scooting closer to the Doctor.

“Oh right, yeah,” the Doctor smiled then frowned once again. “No, still not getting it,” he shook his head.

“Doctor. In a word. In one very simple word even you can understand,” Amy sighed. She leant forward and tried to kiss him.

“No,” Ariel gasped, backing away from the screen with large eyes.

“No!” The Doctor exclaimed, pushing her away. “You're getting married in the morning!” He cried.

“That’s right,” Ariel nodded. “That’s right, she’s getting married in the morning. Nothing can happen.”

“Well, the morning's a long time away,” Amy hummed. “What are we going to do about that?”

Amy pinned him to the Tardis and tried to undo his shirt and more than anything Ariel wanted to storm out and give her what for.

“Amy, Amy, you can’t. I’m with Ariel,” the Doctor reasoned.

“Oh, she doesn’t have to know,” Amy moaned.

“But I am nine hundred and seven years old. Do you understand what that means?” The Doctor asked.

“It’s been a while?” Amy smirked. “Ariel not fitting the bill is she?”

“No, no, no. I'm nine hundred and seven, and look at me. I don't get older, I just change. You get older, I don't, and this can't ever work,” the Doctor reasoned.

“Oh, you are sweet. Doctor. But I really wasn't suggesting anything quite so  _ long term _ ,” Amy hummed. She threw herself at the Doctor and finally got to plant her lips on his. 

However, what made Ariel feel like her insides were being ripped out was not the fact that Amy kissed him, it was the fact that for a few seconds, the Doctor kissed her back.

Ariel stepped back and felt as though she had been punched in the gut countless times. She wanted to cry, to scream, to say something over what the had just seen but she felt like her mind was crying out all on its own and all she could do was sit and listen.

She watched as Amy hopped on her bed and tried to suggest the same to the Doctor but he launched onto one of his little rambles that would’ve made Ariel giggle.

Ariel grabbed the scanner and watched with wide eyes as the Doctor ran over to her bed but rather than joining her atop it, he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the Tardis.

Ariel took a shuddering breath and squeezed her eyes shut. She didn’t even care about being caught. The man she loved had just kissed someone else right in front of her. 

The Doctor and Amy ran into the Tardis at that moment and Ariel felt like she couldn’t even move let alone breathe.

“Ariel! I-,” the Doctor began and his face paled when he saw her standing at the scanner. “No,” the Doctor breathed.

“What, were you watching?” Amy frowned. “Sort of a Peeping Tom don’t you think?”

Ariel sighed softly and didn’t even say a word to the pair of them. She turned and marched back to her room.

“No, wait, Ariel!” The Doctor cried.

Ariel practically ran away, allowing her body to finally feel the pain and silent tears to stream down her cheeks without a care in the world.

She raced into her room and she heard the Doctor’s footsteps following her, but without her doing a thing, the Tardis door slammed on him and locked in his face.

“Oh, don’t tell me you’re mad at me too,” the Doctor moaned, glancing up at the Tardis. “I didn’t mean it!” He insisted. “I didn’t even want to kiss her. Ariel please just let me in,” he begged.

Ariel fell to the floor beside her bed and allowed herself to sob out all the pain she felt.

The universe was a cruel demon that couldn’t allow either of them happiness for too long it seemed. It had a habit of robbing them when their happiness lasted for too long. 

She almost found it funny that her mother had often told her that love hurt. Love didn’t hurt. Not the love she had with the Doctor. That love had been wonderful and magical and every day she felt like she had been granted with a little piece of heaven. It wasn’t the love that hurt, it was the loss of it that burned into her very core.  

Her relationship felt infinite and she never thought she’d live to see it end. She couldn’t breathe without him and yet she had to.

She heard the Doctor give up on trying to get in and that only further stimulated her tears. He gave up on her. 

It really was over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.


	13. Old Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short one, but this brings back some old favorites.

Ariel blindly searched for her mobile in her room and her fingers dialed the number she had memorized for when things got bad. 

She had no idea what time it was in England, but she had to trust that no matter what he would answer the phone.

After all, he did save her when she was stranded alone in an alien bar and promised her a job at Torchwood when she thought Rose was back, maybe he’d be able to help her again.

“Ariel Parsons!” Jack exclaimed on the second ring. “Long time, no call. How are things?”

Ariel smiled at the sound of his voice, but that smile quickly fell away as she fell into a fit of tears.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Jack said, his voice taking on that comforting quality that had her calling him whenever she was distraught. “What’s wrong?”

Ariel took a shaky breath and tried to answer him. “The Doctor, erm,” she mumbled. 

“What happened? What did he do?”

“We picked up this new companion and I was really jealous of her and I thought it was just me being me but they went out to talk in her flat a little bit ago and-,” Ariel started sobbing before she could finish the sentence.

“What is it?” Jack asked, his voice gentle and patient when he spoke. 

“They kissed,” Ariel whimpered before crying once again while on the other end of the phone, Jack’s eyes widened and he sucked in a sharp breath.

“Tell him to take you to Cardiff,” Jack instructed.

“I don’t want to talk to him!” Ariel cried.

“Alright, alright,” Jack nodded. “Then send me the number to the Tardis. I’ll tell him.”

“Don’t you have the Tardis number?” Ariel frowned.

“I did, but I think the Tardis has updated and changed it,” Jack sighed. “I tried to call him a little bit ago about some aliens trying to take the children of the Earth and- you know what? It doesn’t matter. Can you just text me the number?”

“Yeah,” Ariel sniffled. She went through her phone and sent Jack the Tardis number in her contacts.

A few moments later she heard him get an alert on his mobile.

“Thanks,” Jack said. “Now can you hold on until I talk to him?” 

Ariel took a deep breath and wiped the tears off her face. “Yeah,” she mumbled.

“Good,” Jack smiled. “And don’t worry, he’s gonna have a hell of an earful from me for putting you through this,” he promised.

Ariel giggled despite herself. “Thanks, Jack.”

“Anytime, Ari,” Jack sighed, and with that, he hung up the phone.

It was a few moments later that the Tardis phone rang and the Doctor grabbed it immediately.

“Ariel?” The Doctor gasped.

“First, why would she be calling you while she’s on the Tardis?” Jack frowned. “Second, what the hell did you do to that girl?”

“Captain Jack,” the Doctor moaned.

“Who’s that?” Amy frowned.

“Nothing you need to worry about,” the Doctor shook his head.

“The one and only,” Jack smirked. “Now seriously, I just got a call from Ariel in tears saying that you kissed some other girl the pair of you were traveling with.”

“Wha-I didn’t mean to!”  The Doctor exclaimed. 

“Yeah, well, you should tell her that,” Jack sighed. “No, scratch that, you should just get rid of whatever girl you’d rather spend your time snogging than Ariel, or let Ariel come and join me at Torchwood but either way you can’t have both of them, Doctor. That’s not how this works.”

“I know that!” The Doctor snapped. “She just caught me by surprise,” he sighed.

“Doctor, land in Cardiff,” Jack instructed.

“What, no!” The Doctor cried. “I’m not going back there. I don’t even need fuel.”

“I’m not talking about fuel I’m talking about landing in Cardiff so your girlfriend can have a place to stay and feel comfortable after catching you snog another woman,” Jack moaned.

“Oh,” the Doctor frowned and glanced over his shoulder at the corridor where Ariel’s room laid. “Is she really that upset?”

“If you saw her locking lips with another bloke wouldn’t you be upset?” Jack prompted.

“Oh, I know,” the Doctor mumbled. “I just wanna go in there and help her feel better. Tell her I didn’t mean it, he offered with a shrug.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Jack winced. “Give her time and once she feels up to it you two can talk and sort things out.”

The Doctor sighed softly and glanced at Amy with guilt etched upon his face. He had never meant to kiss her and he was regretting each second his lips had been against hers. However, he knew that if he tried to rush things and force her to forgive him that might just upset her more. If he gave her space and allowed her some time to feel better he would have a better chance at explaining things to her.

He took a deep breath and nodded. “Alright, I’ll be by the Roald Dahl pass,” he mumbled.

“Okay, I’ll be there to pick her up,” Jack sighed. 

“Jack? Thanks for helping her,” the Doctor said. He had screwed up, but it was nice to know that someone was there looking out for Ariel through his blunders.

“No problem,” Jack smiled.

They hung up and the Doctor huffed as he set the Tardis for Cardiff. 

“Where are we going?” Amy asked.

“Cardiff,” the Doctor mumbled.

“Why Cardiff?” Amy frowned.

“Because you kissed me, Ariel needs to go off with some mates in order to feel comfortable being here again,” the Doctor sneered. He wished this mess hadn’t cost him Ariel. The brunette had found solace and a home in the Tardis and now she needed to go and seek company with someone else so she could feel that comfort once again. The thought nearly made him sick to his stomach.

“So?” Amy shrugged. “She must leave the Tardis sometimes and she shouldn’t have been peeping in the first place.”

“That’s not the point,” the Doctor sighed. “She hasn’t left the Tardis in a year because she has no place else to go.”

“But you just said-.”

“She’s going to the work place of someone I introduced her to. Outside the people she met with me, all she has is an Uncle who didn’t even bother to go with her to her mother’s funeral and has insulted her everyday she visited him for as long as she can remember. She doesn’t just stay here because we’re together. If I were to make her leave after what you did, she would be forced to live on a sofa in a Hub with a live pterodactyl flying around all hours of the night. She would have nothing.”

“I didn’t know,” Amy mumbled. “I didn’t think it was that bad.”

“All she had left was her mother and I got her killed,” the Doctor sighed. “It’s only right for me to offer her a place to stay and now her own home has gotten too uncomfortable for her.”

“I should say I’m sorry, I-.”

“Don’t bother,” the Doctor said, shaking his head. “If I know anything about her, she’s going to march out here and not bother looking at either of us before she leaves.”

He huffed out a sigh of irritation as he landed the Tardis. Within moments, Ariel came rushing out of her room carrying a small rucksack of belongings. She confirmed the Doctor’s theory by not only not glancing at either of them but staring at her feet until she rushed out of the Tardis and out to Jack.

The Doctor watched her leave with sad eyes. It was his fault she felt the need to leave. He was to blame. He wished more than anything he could comfort her without the sight of him likely making her cry more than she already had.

“I’m sorry,” Amy murmured. “I should’ve-I dunno- I shouldn’t have done that.”

“I accept your apology,” the Doctor nodded. “But it’s not me who needs to accept it.”

“I know,” Amy sighed. “I suppose I thought she was more clingy than actually interested in you. Hell, was I wrong.”

The Doctor chuckled softly as he glanced down at the console. “Well, we have a bit of time before we can pick her up again, so I think you need to be around the man you’re actually engaged to,” he hummed.

“What, Rory?” Amy frowned. “You’re going to get Rory?”

“If you tell me where he is,” the Doctor nodded.

“He’s at a stag night,” Amy murmured. “Hold on, are you actually serious? You’re going to get Rory?”

The Doctor smirked as he set up the Tardis. “Hold on,” he smirked before he pulled the lever and set the time rotors in motion.

~~~

At the Roald Dahl pass, Ariel ran out of the Tardis and straight into Jack’s arms, hugging him tightly as she did so.

From the moment she met Jack, he felt like an older brother she could turn to when she was scared. He was protective over her and always answered when she called. 

Jack pulled away and smiled sadly at her. “You alright?”

“I am now,” Ariel nodded. “Can we just get inside? I need a pizza and a break.”

Jack chuckled and wrapped his arm around her. “Done and done,” he nodded.

They headed in through the usual entrance and Ariel sighed at the place she had stayed in what felt like ages ago when she thought the Doctor hated her for the things in her past. Even after, she had thought she’d need to start working with Torchwood so Rose could be properly reunited with the Doctor. It was odd to be walking in once that fear had simmered away. 

“Ah, Hub sweet Hub,” Ariel sighed and Jack chuckled.

“Listen, uh, a few things have changed since you were last here, I-,” Jack began.

“Ariel?!” Gwen exclaimed.

Ariel’s eyes widened and she dropped her bag off her shoulders as the dark-haired woman bolted down from the upper level to pull Ariel into a hug that lifted the brunette off her feet.

Ariel giggled and hugged the woman in return before she was released.

“What are you doing here?” Gwen wondered.

“Ah, you know,” Ariel sighed. “Quarrel with the Doctor,” she shrugged.

“I’m starting to think she only ever pops by when she can’t be round the Doctor,” Gwen chuckled.

“Oh, of course I would come here,” Ariel smiled. “Torchwood’s my second home. Can’t stay in my first where else would I go?” She shrugged.

“Well, I’m delighted you’re back,” Gwen grinned.

“I am too,” Ariel nodded. “So what have I missed since I’ve been gone? She wondered. “Where’s Ianto?”

“That’s what I wanted to tell you,” Jack winced.

Gwen looked up at Jack with uneasy eyes and Ariel’s heart plummeted into her stomach. 

“No,” Ariel breathed. “How did it happen?” She asked.

“He died saving the Earth,” Gwen nodded.

“Oh, don’t they always,” Ariel moaned. “Alright,” she nodded. “Then, what? It’s just the two of you here now?”

Gwen and Jack shared a look and Gwen shrugged.

“Yeah,” Gwen said.

“Don’t you want to recruit new people?” Ariel asked with a small frown. “I mean you’ve recruited people since you became head.”

“And people have died since I became head,” Jack nodded. “If Torchwood has to die out with us then so be it.”

“Yeah, except you don’t die,” Ariel frowned. “Look, Jack people die all the time. That’s how it works. Torchwood stops that number from going into the hundreds or thousands or even something worse. I know you cared about him, but you can’t stop recruiting.”

“Now you got her backing me up on this,” Gwen chuckled.

“Ah, I’ll think about it,” Jack sighed. “But never mind that. I promised you a pizza.” He held out his hand and raised an eyebrow at her and Ariel giggled and accepted it gratefully.

It was nearly half an hour later when Ariel was sitting between Jack and Gwen, laughing her worries away as they recounted stories of their adventures.

“So, wait, wait, wait,” Ariel sighed. “You were pregnant with an alien baby and Rhys blew it up?!” She exclaimed.

“Basically,” Gwen nodded. “It was an interesting wedding day to say the least,” she smiled.

Ariel laughed and took another bite of her pizza, nodding in amusement at the dark-haired woman.

All of a sudden, Gwen’s phone started ringing and she glanced down at it with a small frown which quickly blossomed into a grin when she spotted the Caller ID.

“Ah, speaking of,” Gwen hummed, wiggling the phone before them. “I’ve gotta take this,” she nodded.

She went off and left Ariel alone with Jack by her side.

“Alright,” Jack sighed. “Say it.”

“Say what?” Ariel frowned. She took a sip from her fizzy drink and pretended not to know what Jack was talking about.

“Say what you’re terrified of saying because you think you’ll seem like a terrible person once it leaves your mouth,” Jack said.

Ariel tried to feign ignorance for as long as possible before she fell flat on her face and sighed.

“It’s just,” she mumbled. “When she first tried to kiss him, he pushed her away and I was so happy. I thought that meant he wouldn’t even spend a moment considering kissing her because he loved me. I thought all the jealousy I felt could just be gone because obviously the Doctor wouldn’t want to be with anyone but me.”

“But?” Jack prompted.

“But,” Ariel sighed, her bones carrying the weight of what the word meant. “But when his lips were pressed against hers, even just for a moment, I didn’t know what to do. I wasn’t even sure who I was angrier at. I hate being angry at the Doctor but when he did that I felt like I never wanted to see his face again. I actually started to hate Amy because we’d actually had fun together and I cared about her and I tried to make sure she didn’t die and she treated me like I was invisible. I almost-,” she began but shook her head, discarding the thought she didn’t want to give a voice to.

“Ariel?” Jack said.

“I can’t,” Ariel mumbled. 

“Come on, you can say it,” Jack assured her. “If you don’t say it, you’ll feel worse.”

Ariel hesitated before sighing softly and nodding. “I almost wanted to take her memories of traveling with the Doctor away. I wanted her to forget all of it because I though if she was going to do that then she didn’t deserve to see all the incredible things in the universe.”

Jack nodded and sighed. He scooted over to Ariel and wrapped his arm around her as she hung her head in shame.

“I know I’m an awful person for thinking that,” Ariel mumbled.

“You’re not,” Jack frowned.

“Yes, I am,” Ariel muttered. “I know you’re thinking it.”

“Hey,” Jack said. “Have I ever judged you? Five minutes after we met you told me you assisted your Dad in his suicide and felt personally responsible for your ex killing a guy with his car and I didn’t judge you then. Do you really think I’m gonna judge you for harboring some angry thoughts towards the girl that kissed your boyfriend?”

“But she’s a good person,” Ariel insisted. “She’s a good person and I keep allowing my jealousy to overlook that.”

“You and the Doctor,” Jack chuckled, shaking his head. “You both feel the need to take personal responsibility when someone else was in the wrong. You got jealous and she kissed him and you knew that jealousy had a place. You can either choose to move on from this with him or come here but either way, something’s gotta change.”

“Do you think I should talk to her?” Ariel frowned.

“And to the Doctor,” Jack nodded. “But above all you’ve gotta figure out what you want. You can’t just keep going back to the Tardis because it’s your only home. If you want I could set up a room for you here but when you go to the Tardis you have to be going because you want to.”

“I thought I was,” Ariel sighed. “But now I’m not entirely sure if I want to go back.”

“Is this because you don’t want to face them or because you genuinely don’t feel like you can travel with this Amy?” Jack asked.

“I don’t know,” Ariel mumbled. “I’ve been so busy traveling with and helping the Doctor after he regenerated I don’t think I ever stopped to consider what I actually want.”

“Well, here’s your chance,” Jack nodded. 

Ariel sat back on the sofa and sighed, her eyes wide. Life with the Doctor since he regenerated had been nonstop. For months she had just thought about how to survive and allowed her emotions to overrule her head. Now, she was finally getting the chance to organize her scattered brain and she didn’t know where to start.

“Okay, well, I talked to her when we first met and explained a lot to her,” Ariel frowned. “I didn’t tell her about my Dad or anything like that of course, but I’d thought I told her enough to tell her how much I cared about him.”

“Well, maybe she didn’t remember,” Jack shrugged. “How long have you been traveling with her?”

“About three months.”

“Three months nonstop,” Jack nodded. “That’ll be enough to forget a conversation she’d had at the very start.”

“Fair point,” Ariel sighed. “But what about the Doctor? Everyone keeps telling me we have this great love and we’re so good together, but if that’s the case then why did he kiss her back?”

“I’m gonna go with panicked because based on what he said on the phone I hardly doubt he was in love with her,” Jack shook his head.

“What?” Ariel frowned. “What did he say on the phone?”

“Basically that he didn’t mean to and that it was an accident,” Jack shrugged.

“How do you accidentally kiss somebody?!” Ariel exclaimed. 

“And we loop back round to the panicked,” Jack reminded her and she sighed. 

“Alright, I guess I could see that, but I think I’m just really scared,” Ariel admitted. “Do you remember what Davros said to me on the Dalek Crucible?”

“I’m gonna be honest, Ariel, I blocked a lot of that out considering I was killed on it and the Doctor made a clone that committed genocide,” Jack chuckled. 

“Yeah, it was a bit maddening,” Ariel agreed. “But when Mickey and I were keeping him away from the Doctor’s and Donna, he said something like I’m the girl fated to destroy the universe. Mickey said he was just getting in my head, but the Doctor and I faced this prisoner who said the same thing. I’m beginning to think it’s in my future and I’m scared that if I am going to destroy the universe that he won’t be there with me.”

“So, what you’re saying is this jealousy isn’t really jealousy but just fear?” Jack assumed.

“Well, there is still a fair bit of jealousy but yeah,” Ariel nodded. “And when I saw that kiss my first thought was this is it. This is proof that he’s not gonna be there for me when it happens and he’s the only one I want there,” she mumbled, bowing her head and feeling tears come to her eyes once again. “I only want him with me and I don’t even know if that’s gonna happen after this.”

“Hey,” Jack sighed, pulling her close to his chest so she could cry if she needed. “The Doctor wants to make amends. I’m not saying you have to forgive him and I’m definitely not saying you have to forgive her if you don’t want to, but the fact that he wants to make amends is good, isn’t it?”

“It still doesn’t mean he’s gonna be there,” she murmured. “An apology doesn’t mean anything if she’s just gonna keep fancying him.”

“Then make him choose. Her or you. He can’t have both,” Jack said.

“But,” Ariel sniffled and looked up at Jack with teary eyes. “What if he chooses her?” She sobbed, tears streaming down her face at the very idea. 

“Oh, Ariel,” Jack sighed and pulled her into a tight hug. “If he does he’s a bigger idiot than I thought,” he smiled. “And you know you always have a place to stay with me, so if you need to you can always come back and stay with me. Be the makeshift Torchwood.”

“Alright,” Ariel nodded. “So long as Myfanwy doesn’t eat my dog,” she said, nodding to the pterodactyl soaring over the Hub.

Jack chuckled and shook his head. “No promises there,” he sighed before wrapping her into another hug. “Do you want to go back to the Tardis? And don’t say you don’t want to just because you’re scared of facing the Doctor and Amy. It has to be a genuine disinterest in traveling with them.”

“Oh, but I don’t think I can ever honestly say I’m disinterested in traveling with the Doctor. No matter what happens, I still love him,” Ariel shrugged. “I hate it and I wish I could stop myself from feeling it for even five seconds but I do,” she nodded. “I think the only way I’ll ever end up working here with you is if he pushes me out which he might very well do one day.”

“Oh, I doubt it,” Jack sighed. “You lot hit the bumps in the road a lot but I don’t think I can ever see the pair of you seperating. At least not willingly. And I know the Doctor won’t send you away after how upset he sounded when I called him. He just loves you too much,” he shrugged.

“Yeah,” Ariel mumbled. “I just really wish he hadn’t done that.”

“Then tell him,” Jack nodded. “And talk to Amy. Work out what happened and find a way to stop it from happening again, and if the Doctor does want her traveling with him and you can’t do it, just know the Hub door is always open,” he smiled.

“Thanks, Jack,” Ariel grinned.   

“Any time,” Jack said.

Meanwhile on the Tardis, the Doctor was distracting himself from missing Ariel by making improvements to the Tardis beneath the console floor. Amy on the other hand was entirely stressed out. She had risked losing her chance to travel with the Doctor because of her error in judgement and now Rory was sitting there in the Tardis with them completely aware of what she had done.

“Oh, the life out there, it dazzles,” the Doctor sighed. “I mean, it blinds you to the things that are important. I've seen it devour relationships and plans. It's meant to do that. Because for one person to have seen all that, to taste the glory and then go back, it will tear you apart. So, I'm sending you somewhere, together.”

“Whoa,” Amy gasped. “What, like a date?”

“Always worked for me and Ariel,” the Doctor nodded. Whenever they had felt like they were being more enraptured by the need to save various planets and universes and less like they were an actual couple they would always go out somewhere special just the pair of them to forget it all for a bit. “Anywhere you want. Any time you want. One condition. It has to be amazing. The Moulin Rouge in 1890. The first Olympic Games. Think of it as a wedding present, because it's either this or tokens,” he chuckled. 

The Doctor pulled off his goggles and headed up the steps to the console platform where Rory was staring at the Tardis, unable to speak a word.

“It's a lot to take in, isn't it?” The Doctor smiled. “Tiny box, huge room inside. What's that about? Let me explain.”

“It’s another dimension,” Rory shrugged.

“It's basically another dimension,” the Doctor said and his smile fell as he realized Rory had already said that. “What?” He frowned.

“After what happened with Prisoner Zero, I've been reading up on all the latest scientific theories,” Rory sighed. “FTL travel, parallel universes.”

“Oh, Ariel would like you,” the Doctor mumbled. He remembered how fascinated she had been when Donna said she did all the research possible after she met the Doctor.

“Where is Ariel?” Rory wondered, glancing around. “She can’t have enjoyed the pair of you sharing a snog,” he mumbled bitterly.

“She didn’t,” the Doctor sighed. “She left.”

“What, like left permanently?” Rory frowned. “Didn’t think I’d ever see that happen.”

“No, not permanently,” the Doctor shook his head. “At least I hope not permanently,” he murmured.

“So, this date!” Amy exclaimed, itching to distract from the fact that she was the reason the Doctor felt the need to pull Rory in and Ariel had gone off. “I'm kind of done with running down corridors. What do you think, Rory?” She prompted, raising an eyebrow at the man.

“How about somewhere romantic?” The Doctor sighed.

“Are we just gonna go without Ariel?” Amy wondered. “I don’t think I’ve seen you go anywhere without her.”

“I’ll call her,” the Doctor nodded. “I just don’t know if she’ll be willing to come,” he shrugged.

“Well, it’s worth a shot,” Amy nodded. “Maybe, I could get the chance to say sorry.”

“Yeah,” the Doctor sighed. “Alright.”

He picked up the Tardis phone in order to ring up Ariel’s mobile.

She answered on the second ring, but the girl that picked up the phone wasn’t  _ his _ Ariel.

“Doctor?” The girl gasped.

“Yeah, Ariel, hello,” the Doctor smiled sadly. “I know you don’t want to talk to me right now but we were wondering if you’d like to come to Venice?” He offered.

“Venice?” Ariel frowned. “We’ve been there loads of times.”

“No, we haven’t,” the Doctor mumbled. “I don’t think I’ve ever gotten the chance to take you there yet.”

“Oh,” Ariel sighed. “No, Riv. It’s not him. He’s calling me from the past.” There was a short pause. “I dunno why! I guess the Tardis mixed it up again.”

“Hold on,” the Doctor said. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-one, Doctor,” Ariel smiled. “You’re looking for the past me, and don’t worry. Jack has calmed me down enough for me to be willing to talk to you again,” she assured him.

“Really?” The Doctor smirked. “Well, that’s good to know. Bye, Ariel.”

“Er, wait, Doctor?” Ariel prompted before huffing out a soft sigh. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” the Doctor frowned. “Is something wrong?”

Ariel gulped harshly and shook her head. “It’s nothing,” she hesitated. “Spoilers,” she said.

“Ah, alright. Goodbye for now, then,” the Doctor nodded.

“Goodbye, my Doctor,” Ariel said, her voice cracking as she spoke. 

He frowned but hung up the phone and began to redial.

“What was it?” Amy asked. “Is she coming?”

“That wasn’t her,” the Doctor shook his head.

“But you said Ariel,” Amy reminded him with a small frown.

“I know, but that wasn’t our Ariel. That wasn’t the Ariel we were looking for,” he sighed.

“I don’t understand,” Rory frowned. “What’s he going on about?”

“The Tardis, it can sometimes make errors,” the Doctor explained. “I didn’t phone the present Ariel I phoned the future one.”

“You phoned Ariel from the future?!” Amy exclaimed with large eyes.

“Yep, and now I’ve got to phone the present one,” he mumbled. The phone began ringing and he sighed as he pressed it to his ear. “Please let this work.”

It ringed far more than before but eventually the phone was answered. However, Ariel didn’t speak when she picked up the phone. There was just a soft sigh that almost sounded pained when it was exhaled.

“Ariel?” The Doctor prompted. “Ariel, I’m so so sorry. I never meant to kiss her back. I’m sorry.”

There was a moment of pause before Ariel spoke. “Is Amy there?” She mumbled, her voice sounding hoarse as though she had been crying for hours.

The Doctor passed a hesitant glance towards the redhead and winced. “Yes, but so is Rory.”

“Rory?” Ariel frowned. “Rory’s there?”

“Yeah, I brought him here,” the Doctor nodded, hoping that decision had been right and would be the deciding factor in whether or not Ariel would return.

“No, Rory is Amy’s fiancé,” Ariel mumbled to Jack. “Yeah, she was engaged and kissed the Doctor.”

“Hold on, so you’re telling me this woman was engaged to be married and knew you were dating the Doctor but kissed him and the pair of you are blaming yourselves for it?! Shit, you and the Doctor really need to get your priorities sorted,” Jack sighed.

Ariel just rolled her eyes and turned back to the phone. “Why are you calling me?” She wondered.

“It’s just, er, I wanted to take Amy and Rory some place romantic so they could get reacquainted and I was wondering if you wanted to come?” The Doctor asked, feeling a lot like a teenager asking a girl he fancied out on a date.

Rather than laugh in his face as Ariel worried he might, she just sighed softly. “Where is it?”

“Venice,” the Doctor replied a bit too quickly in excitement.

Ariel placed the phone down and the Doctor listened as she spoke to Jack but was unable to understand a word they said. She probably covered the speaker so he couldn’t listen in. 

Eventually, she picked up the phone again and took a deep breath. “Okay.”

“What?” The Doctor gasped, his eyes inflating at the word that wasn’t no or sharp laughter.

“I’ll go with you,” Ariel nodded. “If Rory’s coming then I will too.”

“Okay,” the Doctor smiled and nodded. “Okay, I’ll be right there to pick you up.”

“Alright, bye,” Ariel said and with that she hung up the phone almost automatically. 

The Doctor winced at the sheer difference between her future self and her past. The future Ariel had spoke much more gently to him and insisted on telling him she loved him at the end of the call while present Ariel spoke to him without betraying nearly as much emotion.

It broke his hearts to even think about.

“So?” Amy prompted. “Is she coming?”

“Yes,” the Doctor nodded. “But she’s only coming because Rory’s here,” he mumbled.

“Well, I should be happy to see her considering we’re both dating people who snogged someone else,” Rory shrugged. 

The Doctor winced at his words and started up the time rotors without bothering to acknowledge what he said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Rory! I'm so excited to write him in episodes from now on.


	14. Venice

“Venice!” The Doctor exclaimed, extending his arms and grinning at the beautiful city street they had landed upon. “Venezia. La Serenissima. Impossible city. Preposterous city. Founded by refugees running from Attila the Hun. It was just a collection of little wooden huts in the middle of the marsh, but became one of the most powerful cities in the world. Constantly being invaded, constantly flooding, constantly just beautiful. Ah, you got to love Venice. So many people did. Byron, Napoleon, Casanova,” he listed.

“Do we run any chance of running into Casanova?”  Ariel frowned.

“Ooo, that reminds me. 1580. That's alright,” the Doctor sighed. “Casanova doesn't get born for a hundred and forty five years. Don't want to run into him. We owe him a chicken,” he smiled.

“ _ You _ owe him a chicken,” Ariel corrected with a roll of her eyes before she began marching forward, away from the group.

The Doctor watched her leave with a soft sigh. Things weren’t just going to fall back into place after what happened. It was a far flung hope that she should forgive him any time in the near future.

“You owe Casanova a chicken?” Rory frowned.

“Long story,” the Doctor mumbled, his spirit and energy walking into Venice ebbing away. “We had a bet.”

The Doctor walked up to where Ariel was being stopped by an official and appeared very off put by his very presence. 

“Papers, if you please,” the inspector requested. “Proof of residency, current bill of medical inspection.”

Ariel rolled her eyes as the Doctor pulled out his psychic paper.

“There you go, fellow. All to your satisfaction, I think you'll find,” the Doctor said.

The inspector’s eyes inflated as he realized who they were. “I am so sorry, Your Holiness. I didn’t realize.”

“No worries,” the Doctor smirked. “You were just doing your job. Sorry, what exactly is your job?” He wondered.

“Checking for aliens,” the inspector replied and Ariel snorted. “Visitors from foreign lands what might bring the plague with them,” he explained with a shrug.

“What?” Ariel frowned. If the Doctor had been worried about them catching Casanova then the plague should have died out years ago.

“Oh, that's nice. See where you bring me? The plague!” Amy snapped.

Ariel had the particularly cruel thought of laughing at her in that moment, but she stifled it. The plague was basic history and if you were going to be traveling across time with a man where the history was the present, it was best to know your dates. She couldn’t believe the Doctor had cheated with someone who still acted like they were just running through time being daft. The ginger didn’t understand the Doctor like she did and it physically pained Ariel to know that there had been a brief moment in the Doctor’s mind where he had been willing to kiss her back.

“Don't worry, Viscountess,” the inspector assured Amy and Ariel’s eyes widened.

_ Viscountess?  _ She mouthed to the Doctor and he paled considerably. She just scowled and turned away, not bothering to address the psychic paper or what the Doctor had wanted the inspector to see.

“No, we're under quarantine here,” the inspector nodded. “No one comes in, no one goes out, and all because of the grace and wisdom of our patron, Signora Rosanna Calvierri.”

“How interesting,” the Doctor deadpanned. “I heard the plague died out years ago.”

“It did,” Ariel said, tossing a sneer over her shoulder at the redhead who still hadn’t tried to make amends.

Amy’s words still bounced around in her mind, incapable of escaping. She hadn’t seemed to care that Ariel and the Doctor were together and seemed to relish in taking her from him. It almost made Ariel wish she had  _ her _ Doctor back. The man who hadn’t even considered leaving her to be with the woman he had been in love with before they met. This Doctor was different and she was scared that some of his love for her might have been lost when he regenerated and saw Amy’s face first.

“Not out there,” the inspector insisted and Ariel rolled her eyes. “No, Signora Calvierri has seen it with her own eyes. Streets are piled high with bodies, she said,” he nodded.

“Yeah, well Signora Calvierri has gotta get better vision,” Ariel sighed and without bothering to pass a glance at the Doctor, she stormed away.

“Oi, Ariel!” The Doctor called and Amy sighed softly as she watched the Doctor run after Ariel.

“Er, according to this, I am your eunuch,” Rory frowned at the psychic paper.

“Oh yeah,” Amy mumbled. “I’ll explain later,” she shrugged before running after the Doctor and Ariel.

The Doctor tried to catch up to Ariel but she seemed bent on him not being able to do so. 

“Ariel!” The Doctor called. “Ariel! Ariel, I-!”

“What?!” Ariel snapped, spinning around so the Doctor could see the tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Ariel,” the Doctor gasped, skidding to a stop at the sight.

“What do you wanna tell me, Doctor?” Ariel wondered, shaking her head aimlessly at him. “Jack kept telling me that you sounded like you were sorry, but I guess he was wrong wasn’t he?”

“Ariel, I-.”

“No,” Ariel sighed. “If you wanna be with her then do it. Don’t let me step in the way of  _ true love _ ,” she said, spitting the phrase at him as though it were an insult rather than something to be admired.

“That’s not what’s going on, I brought-,” the Doctor tried, but was interrupted by the presence of that very redhead running up to them.

“What is it? What’s going on?” Amy wondered, grinning ignorantly at the pair of them.

“Oh, speak of the Devil,” Ariel scoffed. 

“Amy, you should tell Ariel what you told me,” the Doctor instructed, referring to how Amy had expressed her regrets over kissing him when she knew he and Ariel were together.

“Oh, yeah, erm,” Amy said awkwardly, shifting awkwardly under the Doctor’s gaze.

Before she could say a word, however, there was the creaking sound of iron gates swinging open. The Doctor frowned and walked over to a ledge where he could look across the water and see women in veils marching out of a large building, all donning white gowns.

“The Calvierri girls,” one of the women murmured as they joined the crowd watching the girls. 

Rory ran up to them just as the girls pulled their veils down, and began marching out in a single file.

Just then, there was a dark-skinned man ran up to the group of girls and began pulling their veils up. Each girl who’s veil was pulled up winced against the sunlight like it was their enemy.

“Isabella!” The man cried. “Isabella!”

He continued lifting the girls veils until he found his daughter who he grinned at but she simply winced at the sun as all the other girls had.

“Isabella?” The man gasped. “Isabella, it's me,” he frowned, unsure of why his own daughter seemed unable to recognize him.

One of the girls ran up to the man and knocked him down, hissing at him though her teeth seemed funny and unlike an ordinary human teeth.

“Girls, come along,” a female voice called. 

The girls all pulled their veils back down and followed along in the direction they had originally taken.

A man in a cloak stepped over the father and grinned. “She’s gone,” he mumbled.

The man in the cloak walked away and the father scrambled to his feet, staring after the women with large eyes. 

“Isabella!” The man cried. “It’s me!” He bellowed.

The Doctor grabbed Ariel’s arm and before she could process what was happening, he pulled her away to run after the man and figure out what was going on.

“What-uh- Doctor, let go of me!” Ariel snapped.

“We have to go after that man,” the Doctor sighed.

“ _ We _ don’t have to do anything,” Ariel sighed, yanking her arm out of his grasp. “I knew I shouldn’t come here. Jack said it would be a good idea to talk things out but I knew I wouldn’t be ready for this.”

“Ari, I’m so sorry,” the Doctor breathed.

Ariel turned to him with tears in her eyes. “Why did you do it? Why did you kiss her back? Do you-Do you have feelings for her?”

“No!” The Doctor exclaimed. “It’s only you,” he assured her. “It’s only ever been you.”

“Then why did you kiss her back?!” Ariel snapped. “Because Jack says it was panicking and I want to believe that but I watched the whole thing and you pushed her away before she could even get close to you the first time. So, why didn’t you do that the first time?”

“I suppose,” the Doctor sighed and messed up his floppy brown hair as he often did when he was stressed. “I suppose there was a part of me that did want to kiss her,” he admitted.

“Eugh!” Ariel cried, wincing as she turned away from him, but before she could start walking away he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back up to him.

“But I felt nothing,” he assured her. “There was nothing there. It was nothing like kissing you,” he said and Ariel paled.

“R-Really?” She breathed, her voice barely audible when she spoke.

“Really,” the Doctor smiled. “I love you, Ariel Parsons. I’ve loved you since the day that you slammed your face into the side of my Tardis,” he chuckled and Ariel grinned. “And I will never stop loving you,” he assured her. “I knew the moment her lips touched mine that I had made a mistake. I knew it because the second she kissed me I realized that yours are the only lips I want to kiss until the day this old face is gone from the world. I never want to leave your side again and I will die before I ever screw up like I did the moment I allowed her to kiss me.”

Tears started to spill down her cheeks, but they were not carrying the sadness she had felt through the past twenty-four hours, this time when she cried it was out of joy.

“I love you,” Ariel sniffled. “I don’t wanna lose you. I don’t think I could bear living without you,” she admitted.

“I could say the same,” the Doctor sighed. He wrapped his arms around Ariel’s waist and placed his forehead against hers. “I’m sorry.”

“You are forgiven,” Ariel smiled. “Of course, you’re forgiven,” she shrugged. She would always forgive the Doctor in the end. From the moment she looked into his eyes, she knew she was gone. 

The Doctor had stolen her heart and there was no turning back.

He glanced down at her, a soft smile grazing his lips as he tangled his fingers in her hair  and before she could utter a word he tipped her head up and his lips descended on hers. She felt a sudden yearning for him as though it had been ages without his lips upon hers and desire fizzed through her veins as his tongue swept into her mouth and glided against hers. Melting into the kiss, she snagged her hands into the front of his shirt and pulled him closer, kissing him back hungrily.

It occurred to her that while her lips had never wavered from his, the last kiss he had shared had been with a certain redhead. This knowledge fueled the fire burning in her veins as she spun him into a small alleyway and allowed him to press her firmly against a cool stone wall, his lips never leaving hers.

She kissed him soundly, her tongue tangling with his and allowing the fire in her veins to rage out of control. She wanted all of him. Every inch. Every small piece. Every flaw and every bit of magnificence he had to offer.

All too soon, he pulled away at the sharp clearing of a throat. He turned with adorably pink cheeks to find the father they had seen earlier.

“Am I interrupting something?” The man prompted, a bemused grin gracing his lips.

“As a matter of fact-,” Ariel began.

“Ariel!” The Doctor exclaimed with a laugh, his cheeks turning redder at her words.

She just giggled and hopped out of his arms. “Alright,” she sighed. “We’d actually like to speak to you if it isn’t too much trouble.”

“Oh, not at all,” the man shrugged. “What do you need?”

“Who were those girls back there?” The Doctor asked. 

“I thought everyone knew about the Calvierri school,” the man frowned.

“Our first day here,” the Doctor shrugged.

“That much is clear,” the man chuckled, obviously referring to the snogging he had seen just moments earlier. “I take it you’re from a place where such manner is permitted?”

“You could say that,” Ariel mumbled. In reality, they were both from very different times and places.

“It's okay,” the Doctor sighed, waving a hand at the man to dismiss the matter. “Parents do all sorts of things to get their children into good schools,” he said, returning the conversation to the girls in veils. “They move house, they change religion. So why are you trying to get her out?” He wondered.

The man seemed hesitant to tell the couple, greeting them with wary eyes before he spoke. “Something happens in there,” he mumbled. “Something magical, something evil. My own daughter didn't recognise me. And the girl who pushed me away, her face, like an animal,” he remembered, his eyes wide at the very thought.

“An animal who can’t face sunlight?” Ariel frowned. “What could they be doing to the girls to change them that much?”

The Doctor simply shrugged in response to her question. “I dunno,” he confessed. “But I think it’s time we met Signora Calvierri,” he hummed. 

“How are we going to do that?” Ariel wondered. “It looks like they have pretty high security and an iron gate blocking the way. How are we supposed to get past the guards?”

“There is another way in,” the man mumbled.

“What?” Ariel and the Doctor both gasped simultaneously.

“There is a side entrance,” he nodded. “I was never able to access it because I would have been seen but its right beside the canal. If I cause a distraction I might be able to help the pair of you sneak in.”

“Oh, I like you,” the Doctor hummed, a small smirk falling upon his lips. “What’s your name?” 

“Guido,” the man nodded. “And yourselves?”

“Not important,” the Doctor sighed, draping an arm over Guido’s shoulders. “Just point us in the direction of the entrance and we’ll see if we can’t find out what they’re doing to your daughter,” he promised.

“Do you think you can really find out?” Guido frowned.

“Oh, almost certainly,” Ariel assured him with a nod.

Guido glanced between the couple with wide eyes before he grinned at the idea that he might just be able to get his daughter back.

“I’ll show you the way,” Guido nodded. He guided them back to the Calvierri school and at a distance, pointed them towards the entrance. “It’s on that side of the building.”

“That’s a bit of a small ledge to walk on,” Ariel remarked with a small frown. “Is that why you never did it?”

“Yes,” Guido nodded. “If I had walked towards that path I would have been found out immediately. The gate practically leads itself into the canal.”

“Ah, the architecture of this time,” Ariel sighed, grinning up at the Doctor who chuckled and nodded.

“What?” Guido frowned.

“Never you mind,” the Doctor sighed. “Just go up and try to buy us enough time to get inside,” he instructed.

“But once you are inside what will you do?” Guido wondered.

“We’re gonna find Signora Calvierri and have a little chat,” Ariel shrugged, her tone much lighter than what her words implied.

“Just, Just make sure they aren’t hurting my Isabella,” Guido requested.

“We will,” the Doctor nodded.

“Alright, then I’ll distract the guards for you,” Guido said. He took a deep breath and marched ahead to draw the attention of the guards.

“Come on,” the Doctor mumbled. He grabbed Ariel’s hand and they darted to the right exterior ledge outside the building. 

“You have my daughter. Isabella!” Guido cried, pushing against the guard’s to try and get through.

The Doctor and Ariel skirted across the edges until they reached the gate. The Doctor pulled his sonic out of his suit and opened the gate. He pulled Ariel inside and she slammed the gate closed behind them.

There was a great big wooden door before them and the Doctor shoved it open with minor difficulty. The door lead to a small stone staircase with ominous lighting that made Ariel feel like they were walking straight into a horror film. She winced at the sight, but grabbed the Doctor’s hand and squeezed tightly for a surge of confidence. 

He smiled kindly at her and in that moment she knew she could conquer whatever they had to face down there.

They headed down the steps to an area with a vaulted roof and several more large wooden doors. To their right, there was an ornate mirror which the Doctor spun to face with a grin.

“Hello, handsome,” the Doctor hummed, straightening his bow tie in pride. 

Ariel snorted and wrapped her arms around his waist. She place her chin on his shoulder and stared into the mirror with a sloppy grin. “I love you,” she sighed.

“I love you too,” the Doctor smiled. He grabbed her hand and spun around before placing a soft yet sweet kiss on her lips. He pulled away and looked up to see five slightly scary pale women standing before them.

“Erm,” the Doctor murmured, vaguely gesturing towards the women.

Ariel frowned and spun around only to jump back with a sharp gasp at the sight of the girls.

“Wait,” she mumbled and turned to face the mirror, finding the women had no reflection. “Whoa,” she breathed. She tapped the Doctor’s arm and gestured to the mirror. “They have no reflections.”

“Who are you?” The women chorused.

“Okay, that isn’t horrifying,” Ariel said sarcastically.

“Wha-How are you doing that?!” The Doctor exclaimed, still fascinated by the lack of a reflection being displayed in the mirror. “I am loving it,” he hummed and Ariel giggled. She always adored his childlike enthusiasm when addressing potentially life threatening scenarios. It ebbed away her anxiety and made her feel sheer ecstacy rather than fear in the face of danger. “You're like Houdini, only five slightly scary girls, and he was shorter,” he shrugged and Ariel raised an eyebrow at the Doctor. “Will be shorter,” he amended and she nodded. “I'm rambling,” he sighed.

“I’ll ask you again signor and signora,” the girls chorused. “Who are you?”

Ariel frowned at their phrasing but looked up at the Doctor as he fished his psychic paper out of his coat. He pulled it out and flashed it to the women. “Why don’t you check this out?!” He exclaimed.

The girls stared blankly at the paper and he frowned as he turned it back to face him. It was a library card with his first face on it.

“You showed them a library card?” Ariel chuckled.

“Of course, it's with,” the Doctor moaned. “He's. I need a spare,” he sighed.

Ariel giggled and nodded. 

“Pale, creepy girls who don't like sunlight and can't be seen,” the Doctor observed, narrowing his eyes at the women. He turned to Ariel and her face froze at her words, coming to the same realization that he was. “Ha. Am I thinking what I think I'm thinking?” The Doctor grinned.

“You are,” Ariel nodded. “That’s bloody brilliant. Venice in 1580 and we get a treat!” She laughed.

The Doctor chuckled and nodded before turning back to the girls with one unanswered question still lingering in his mind. “But the city. Why shut down the city? Unless-,” he began.

“Leave now, signor, and signora, or we shall call for the Steward, if you are lucky,” the girls smiled.

“Ooo,” the Doctor hummed.

They flashed their razor sharp teeth at the couple and suddenly the Doctor grew a lot less interested in sticking around for interrogation.

The Doctor jumped back and grabbed Ariel, pushing her behind him as he backed away to the stairs. 

He spun towards the girls while they hissed and advanced on the pair. “Tell me the whole plan!” The Doctor demanded, but the girls were not fazed.

“Like that’s going to work!” Ariel moaned.

“Oh, one day it’ll work,” the Doctor mumbled. “Listen, I would love to stay here. This whole thing. I'm thrilled. Oh, this is Christmas,” he chuckled. He scrambled up the steps and grabbed Ariel’s hand once again as she laughed and they ran outside.

“Vampires!” Ariel shrieked, a large grin painted across her lips.

“In Venice,” the Doctor nodded, wearing the same grin.

“I can’t-we- this is the best birthday present ever!” Ariel laughed. 

“I know,” the Doctor chuckled. “I almost wish I had planned this, this is brilliant!”

“Oh, we have to tell the others,” Ariel nodded. “I mean, Vampires in Venice!”

The Doctor nodded, laughing like an overexcited child. “Come on, we can probably catch up with them at the same place we left,” he said. He grabbed Ariel’s hand and once they had the chance they ran as fast as they could back to where they had last seen Amy and Rory.

When they ran up to the pathway, Ariel spotted Amy in the distance running toward them and she guessed the redhead had a story of her own to tell them.

They raced up to each other and the trio stood in a small circle, staring at each other with wide eyes and dazed grins.

“Doctor!” Amy exclaimed.

“We just met some vampires!” The Doctor and Ariel cried in unison.

“We just saw a vampire,” Amy nodded.

They then all proceeded to ramble over each other, half spoken sentences getting out but granting just enough information for everyone to understand.

“It was maddening, we chased after that dad-,” Ariel started.

“Rory and I were just walking round touring,” Amy nodded.

“His name was Guido, he showed us a way into the building the girl’s walked out of,” the Doctor continued.

“Rory and I heard this scream and I ran to see this girl on the ground-.”

“The Doctor and I snuck into the building and there were these five girls and they were  _ creepy _ !” Ariel exclaimed.

“The girl had blood on her neck and this bloke turned to me and he had these razor sharp teeth and he was sucking her blood!” Amy cried.

“We saw the same razor sharp teeth,” the Doctor nodded. “The girls hissed at us and flashed them when they chased us out.”

“I can’t believe we’re seeing this all in Venice, I mean it’s got every factor of one of those old horror movies,” Ariel giggled. 

“The atmosphere,” Amy nodded.

“And creepy girls and everything,” the Doctor agreed.

“Vampires!”Amy shrieked, unable to contain her excitement.

Just then, Rory caught up to them, panting and seeming to have a hard time with all the running trips with the Doctor entailed.

“We think we just saw a vampire,” Rory gasped.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, we know,” the Doctor nodded. “Amy was just telling us.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Amy sighed. “The Doctor and Ariel actually went to their house,” she smiled.

“Creepiest building you’ll ever see,” Ariel chuckled.

“Oh,” Rory sighed. “Right. Well.”

“Okay,” the Doctor nodded, stepping back to analyze how they went forth from that point. “So, first we need to get back in there somehow.”

“Right, of course,” Ariel said.

“What?” Rory gasped.

“How do we do that?” Amy wondered.

“Could Guido help us?” Ariel asked the Doctor with a small frown.

“I don’t see why not,” the Doctor shrugged. “Come and meet our new friend,” the Doctor smiled, waving the three of them along as he headed back to see Guido.

~~~

Guido spread a vellum map of Venice across the table before the four of them.

“As you saw, there's no clear way in,” Guido nodded. “The House of Calvierri is like a fortress. But there's a tunnel underneath it, with a ladder and shaft that leads up into the house. I tried to get in once myself, but I hit a trapdoor,” he shrugged.

“You need someone on the inside,” Ariel grinned.

“No,” the Doctor sighed, barely even looking up from the map to address her.

“You don’t even know what I was gonna say,” Ariel muttered.

The Doctor looked up and frowned at the others who seemed blatantly unaware of what Ariel was planning when it seemed so obvious to him. “Er, that we pretend you're an applicant for the school to get you inside, and tonight you come down and open the trapdoor to let us in,” he shrugged.

“Oh. So you do know what I was going to say,” Ariel sighed, slumping in her chair in defeat.

“Well, if she can’t, what about me?” Amy offered.

“Are you insane?!” Rory exclaimed.

“Oh, good to know he could care less when I offer but the second Amy does-,” Ariel moaned.

“We don’t have another option,” Amy shrugged.

“He said no to Ariel, Amy,” Rory reminded her. “I doubt he’ll say yes to you. Listen to him.”

“There is another option,” Guido nodded. He stood up and pointed to a collection of barrels behind Rory. “I work at the Arsenale. We build the warships for the navy,” he informed them.

The Doctor stood up and sniffed the barrels before sighing softly at the realization of what was held within them. “Gunpowder,” he mumbled.

Rory’s eyes inflated at the mention of him sitting in front of enough gunpowder to blow up the building, and slowly but steadily scooted away to Ariel’s amusement.

“Most people just nick stationery from where they work,” the Doctor muttered and Ariel snorted as she pictured Guido trying to rush away all the large barrels of gunpowder. “Look, I have a thing about guns and huge quantities of explosive,” he shrugged.

“Me too,” Ariel nodded.

“What do you suggest, then?” Guido sighed. “We wait until they turn her into an animal?”

“Amy and I can be there three maybe four hours, tops,” Ariel offered with a small smile.

The Doctor grinned at Ariel, pride shining at her courage and nerve when going into the place she herself claimed was creepy and a bit terrifying. However, the memory of the five women transformed into something inhuman stopped him from agreeing.

“No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,” the Doctor shook his head. “It can't keep happening like this. This is how they go. But I have to know. We go together, say you're my daughters.”

“No!”  Ariel exclaimed, her eyes wide at the very idea of claiming the Doctor was her father.

“What?” Rory frowned, astounded that this plan was even being pulled into motion. They said the women there were being changed into vampires, so if that was the case why would he put the life of his girlfriend and his own fiancée at risk? “Don’t listen to him.”

“She’s right,” Amy nodded. “How can we be your daughters? You look about nine,” she said and Ariel snorted at the remark.

“Brother then,” the Doctor shrugged.

“Too weird,” Ariel shook her head. 

“Yeah, what about fiancé?” Amy offered. “You two can be engaged and I can be her sister? That’s less weird than being related to you.”

Ariel nodded. As much as she hated to remember it, either of them claiming to be related to the Doctor after they had snogged him was far too weird.

“I’m not just gonna sit here and watch as you go in there!” Rory exclaimed.

“No. No, you’re right,” Amy sighed.

“He is?” Ariel frowned.

“Yeah, if they see you and the Doctor together again they could get suspicious, but if he goes in with us-,” Amy began.

“Ah, yeah!” Ariel exclaimed.

“Me?” Rory frowned.

“Yeah,” Amy nodded. “You can be our brother,” she shrugged.

“Why is him being your brother weird, but with me, it's okay?” Rory wondered and Ariel winced. She still hadn’t forgiven Amy for forcing herself on the Doctor, but she understood that Amy would be uncomfortable with the man she had lived with for months and kissed being her brother.

“Actually, I thought you two were engaged,” Guido said, gesturing to the Doctor and Ariel with a frown.

“He’s my boyfriend,” Ariel shrugged.

“And he’s not her brother?” Guido prompted, gesturing to Rory and Amy.

“Yeah, that’s not helping,” the Doctor sighed.

“This whole thing is mental,” Rory moaned. “They're vampires, for God's sake.”

“We hope,” the Doctor mumbled. Ariel chuckled and nodded, collapsing onto the bench by his side. He wrapped his arm around her and sighed.

“So if they’re not vampires?” Amy prompted, raising an eyebrow at the pair.

“Makes you wonder what could be so bad it doesn't actually mind us thinking it's a vampire,” the Doctor hummed.

~~~

Later the next day, Rory, Ariel, and Amy all donned the proper attire leant to them by Guido in order to fit in and seem like true peasants to the Signora.

They stood in the throne room and a woman who Ariel assumed must by Signora Calvierri sat on the throne with the vampire Amy said she had seen earlier by her side.

“So, basically, both of our parents are dead from getting the plague. I'm a gondola driver, so money's a bit tight, so having my sisters go to your school for special people would be brilliant. Cheers,” Rory mumbled awkwardly, quoting the story the Doctor had rehearsed for him just a few hours earlier.

“Have we met?” The male vampire said, narrowing his eyes at the trio.

“I’ve just got one of those faces,” Rory shrugged.

“I wasn’t talking to you,” the man snapped and turned his attention to Amy. 

Amy paled and Rory stepped up before the pair of them, obviously desperate to break the tension. 

“She's got the same face, which is because she's my sister,” Rory explained with nervous laughter.

“Carlo, explain yourself,” Signora Calvierri snapped at her Steward “Why have you brought me this imbecile?”

“Signora, they have references from His Majesty the King of Sweden,” Carlo responded.

“What?” Signora Calvierri gasped, her eyes inflating at the mention of such references. “Let me see.”

Rory hesitated, glancing at the girls on either side of him and shuffling the psychic paper in his hands. They both granted him reassuring nods and he suckeed in a sharp breath before stepping up to Signora Calvierri to pass her the references. 

Meanwhile, the male vampire stepped away from her side and walked up to Amy and Ariel. He walked around them, his eyes never leaving their figures and Ariel knew that if he really was a vampire he’d hear her heart beating out of her chest. 

Something about the way he watched them made them feel like they weren’t enrolling in some school but rather they were prey being stalked by a hungry predator. It made Ariel’s stomach twist anxiously in his presence.

“Well, now I see what got my Steward so excited,” Signora Calvierri sighed, passing the psychic paper back to Rory. “What say you, Francesco? Do you like them?”  She asked the man still lurking over Amy and Ariel.

“Oh, I do,” Francesco hummed. “Mother, I do.”

“Then we would be delighted to accept them,” Signora smiled, both something in the way she grinned at Rory told Ariel they shouldn’t be happy about their acceptance. “Say goodbye to your sisters.”

Carlo marched up to Rory and immediately latched onto his arm and began shoving him towards the door, barely giving him a moment to say goodbye to Ariel and Amy.

“Tell Uncle Doctor we'll see you both really soon, okay?” Amy implored.

“Tell him I'll be fine,” Ariel nodded.

Rory looked as though he wanted to say something but before he could get a word out, the Steward tugged him out the door and slammed it shut.

“Right then,” Signora Calvierri smiled. “Once our Steward gets back he will escort you to the dormitories where you will stay with the other girls. I take it you two will want to room together?” She prompted.

Ariel and Amy shared a wide-eyed gazed.

“Er, yes,” Ariel nodded. “We’d like to be together.”

“Wonderful,” Signora Calvierri smiled. “Francesco, see to it that the ladies have the proper arrangements,” she instructed.

“Yes, Mother,” Francesco nodded and with one last predatory gaze raking over the bodies of the girls, he marched out the door and to the dormitories.

A few minutes later, Carlo returned with a burning torch and nodded to the two girls.

They shared a hesitant gaze but both sighed softly and walked up to Carlo. 

He lead them out the door and through some dark and twisting corridors that just screamed out the elements of every old vampire film in existence. There were velvet curtains and three tier candles across the area and great stone carvings in the wall that made the building feel more like a mansion rather than a school.

The girls of the school surrounded them, all dressed in the white gowns with pale skin and large hair. They didn’t speak, but rather all just leered at the newbies and Ariel felt like she was in grade school again except all the popular kids were vampire women.

Carlo lead them up a large stone staircase until they approached the dormitories. He guided them into a large room with several beds and girls on each and every one of them. Above them there was a large ornately decorated dome.

“There are clothes on your beds,” Carlo said. “Get changed and wait here.” Carlo nodded to the women and all of them left the room except one. 

“Blimey,” Amy sighed, glancing up at the dome above them. “This is private education, then?”

“Apparently,” Ariel chuckled.

The girls each headed to their own beds when Ariel caught the eye of the girl still in the room sitting on her own bed alone.

“Er, Amy?” Ariel prompted, gesturing to the girl.

“Oh,” Amy breathed, turning her attention to the woman with dark hair. “Hey. Hello, I'm Amy.”

“And I’m Ariel,” Ariel nodded, each girl take a seat on the bed on either side of the woman. 

“What’s your name?” Amy asked.

“Isabella,” the girl breathed.

Ariel sucked in a sharp breath and met Amy’s amber eyes with wide grey ones. 

“Listen, we're going to get you out of here, but I need you to tell us what's going on,” Amy instructed.

“We know your Dad,” Ariel nodded and Isabella’s eyes seemed to brighten at the mention of her father.

“What is this place?” Amy asked. “What are they doing?”

“They er, they come at night. They gather around my bed, and they take me to a room with this green light and a chair with straps, as if for a surgeon,” Isabella explained.

“What happens in there?” Amy asked.

“What do they do to you?” Ariel implored.

“I wake up here. And the sunlight burns my skin like candle wax,” Isabella breathed.

“Okay,” Ariel sighed. She got up and grabbed Amy’s hand, pulling her to the side where Isabella couldn’t listen. “We have to get the Doctor in here, now,” she insisted.

“I know,” Amy nodded. “We should just-We should get changed then go down to the tunnels Guido showed us. That way if we get caught at least we’ll have changed.”

“Agreed,” Ariel nodded.

Meanwhile on the canal outside the school, Guido wore Rory’s clothes after he had given up his own for Rory to get inside. He rowed the Doctor and Rory toward the school and the Doctor stared dead ahead with a clenched jaw.

He shouldn’t have let Ariel go. That was always how he lost them. They made some brave and courageous leap without him and he stupidly agreed to it.

“She’ll be fine,” he murmured to Rory, feeling his own anxiety bouncing off the nurse.

“You can promise me that, can you?” Rory prompted. 

“Ariel will look after her,” the Doctor nodded. “If they run into trouble I can promise that much.”

“She shouldn’t have to be looked after. She shouldn’t have to be there at all!” Rory snapped.

The Doctor sighed softly and shook his head, unsure of how to help calm Rory down from that.

Inside the school, Ariel and Amy rushed through the corridors with two small candles. They had managed to get away before Carlo could collect them with Isabella’s help and now all they had to do was let the men in.

“Listen,” Amy sighed. “About the Doctor,” she mumbled.

“Oh, really?” Ariel groaned. “You think now is a good time to talk about this?”

“I just-,” Amy began.

“No, listen,” Amy,” Ariel said, spinning around and pulling the ginger to a halt on the stone staircase they were descending. “If you think that I forgave you just because I defend you or laugh with you, you’re mistaken. I’m not going to forgive or forget for quite a while because while the Doctor may have panicked and kissed you back for a few seconds you knowingly shoved yourself on him and tried to push me out of the picture. That’s not something I’m going to let go of any time soon.”

“I wasn’t thinking,” Amy muttered. “I’m sorr-.”

“If you wanna apologize you should have done that the moment I walked back inside the Tardis,” Ariel said, marching back down the staircase. “Or rather, the moment you caught me watching rather than calling me a Peeping Tom.”

“That was wrong of me,” Amy confessed. “I’m sorry.”

“Getting that,” Ariel nodded. “But once I feel like you didn’t just apologize because you saw the Doctor and I are back together and your fiancé is here, I might accept it.”

Amy opened and closed her mouth, unable to come up with a way to respond to that.

“There, I think that’s the trapdoor,” Ariel sighed and with that, the moment for apologies was over.

Amy ran up to Ariel’s side and they both placed their candles down to inspect the door. 

“How do you open this?” Amy frowned.

“I think you just,” Ariel mumbled. She pulled down one of the metal bolts locking it and grinned when that worked. 

Amy smiled at her and did the same with the metal bolt closest to her.

Once the trapdoor was opened, the both grabbed their candles and turned only to run straight into Carlo.

The girls both shrieked at the sight of him and dropped their candles in fear.

Carlo grabbed ahold of them against their squirms and cries of terror and dragged them through the corridors of the tunnels. 

“Let us go!” Ariel bellowed, trying to kick Carlo in the shins but failing tremendously.

“Control yourself children,” Carlo hissed.

“Take your hands off us!” Amy yelled.

He did just that as he dragged them into a room illuminated by green lighting just as Isabella had described.

They were dropped right before Signora Calvierri who simply grinned maliciously at the two girls.

“Psychic paper,” Signora Calvierri hummed. “Did you really think that would work on me?”

Ariel and Amy’s faces dropped at her words.

“Where are you from?” Signora Calvierri asked, beginning to pace around the girls and stalk her prey just as her son had done. Ariel supposed the talent to creep someone out entirely ran in the family. “Did you fall through the Chasm?”

“What Chasm?” Ariel mumbled with a small frown.

“Mother this is pointless,” Francesco sighed. “Let's just start the process and-.”

“Hold your tongue, Francesco,” Signora Calvierri snapped. “I need to know what these girls are doing in a world of savages with psychic paper. Who are you with? You see, I scarcely believe your idiot brother sent you. What are you doing in my school?” She persisted.

Amy looked as though she wanted to explain things and Ariel shot her a look dripping in venom.

“We’re nobody,” Ariel insisted.

Signora Calvierri didn’t seem to believe that for a second because behind them, her fully changed little vampire girls brought two chairs with straps like the one Isabella had mentioned and above the chairs, drip bags filled with blood were placed onto hooks.

“Okay, I'll tell you,” Amy sighed. “We’re from Ofsted,” she shrugged.

Signora Calvierri laughed the perfect movie villain laugh before her smile fell into a crude sneer. “Put them in the chairs,” she snapped at the girls.

The women obliged and the redhead and brunette screamed.

“No!” Ariel shrieked. “Let me go!”

“Take your hands off me!” Amy bellowed.

They were placed in the chairs and strapped down against their will.

“Oh, make sport of me, will you? Tease me as if I were your dog?” Signora Calvierri scoffed. “Well, this dog has a bite, girls,” she said and turned with razor sharp teeth to the girls.

“Wait!” Ariel screamed. “If you’re gonna bite us, bite me,” she begged. “Don’t hurt her. Please.”

“Oh, you must be the older sibling,” Signora Calvierri hummed. “But don’t worry child. I’ll get to both of you in due time. Though I don’t see why I can’t start off with you,” she smiled.

She marched over to Ariel and the girl squeezed her eyes shut as the older woman’s teeth snapped down on her neck.

Amy watched with wide eyes, fighting against the restraints, desperate to stop Ariel from taking the blow for her. 

She couldn’t believe what the brunette was willing to risk to keep her alive, and to think she had insulted her and forced herself on her boyfriend.

Guilt curled around her stomach and she knew in that moment she had made a major mistake.

Meanwhile, Ariel was having a very different mindset. Sure, she had been angry with Amy but she never wanted her to die and if it had to be a question of her or the ginger, she knew she had to sacrifice herself every time.

Amy was engaged to be married and had a family waiting for her back home. All Ariel had was the Doctor. There was no great big family and if she were to die, her death among her friends would be known as yet another sacrifice to save the Earth. Nothing more, nothing less.

Signora Calvierri pulled away from Ariel’s neck with a sigh and Ariel found herself gasping for air after she did so.

It felt like she hadn’t had a drip of water or rather anything to drink for weeks. She felt like a part of her had been drained while Signora Calvierri just wiped her blood from her teeth.

Francesco walked over to Ariel’s side and smiled disgustingly at the two small open wounds on her neck. He placed his finger on one where a small amount of blood was still dripping and pressed it to his tongue with a soft moan. 

“Mother, where you drink from her, may we share? I'm so thirsty,” he sighed.

“Of course, darling,” Signora Calvierri smiled and Francesco flashed a grin before hissing and biting Ariel in the same place his mother had before him.

“No!” Amy screamed, fighting even harder against the bonds. “Can’t you see what you’re doing to her?! Leave her alone?”

“Oh, my dear, but this is how it works,” Signora Calvierri sighed, smiling at the redhead as he son continued to drain Ariel. “First, we drink you until you're dry. Then we fill you with our blood. It rages through you like a fire, changing you, until one morning you awake and your humanity is a dream now faded,” she smiled.

Francesco pulled away from Ariel and grinned as he wiped her blood from his lips. “Or you die,” he nodded. “That can happen.”

“And if we survive?” Amy frowned.

“Then there are ten thousand husbands waiting for you in the water,” Signora Calvierri smiled.

“I’ve got-boyfriend,” Ariel mumbled. Her vision was blurred and after Francesco bit her she was beginning to feel as though she hadn’t had a thing to drink in months rather than just weeks. The room shifted before her and she felt more than anything like she wanted to take a really long nap. 

Her eyelids grew heavy and it was beginning to grow difficult to keep them open.

“And I’m kind of engaged,” Amy shrugged. She kicked out a small device on Signora Calvierri’s waist and her whole image seemed to flicker like she was just a projection on film. 

Francesco pulled Amy back and wrapped his arm around her neck to keep her from doing anything else while Signora Calvierri furiously fiddled with the device.

She flickered from human to what could only be described as a rather large humanoid fish creature. 

Ariel’s eyes flickered open just in time to see that creature hissing at Amy and she screamed.

Signora Calvierri transformed back into her original form but just when she seemed ready to march towards Ariel again, a distant cry saved the brunette’s life.

“Oh! Rory, come on!” The Doctor yelled.

Signora Calvierri, Francesco, and Carlo all looked up with small frowns and marched out to the source of the voice leaving Ariel and Amy in the room alone.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” Amy mumbled. “Look what she did to you.”

“Had to save,” Ariel gasped, finding it hard to focus on anything with the room still spinning. “Had to save you.”

Amy’s eyes widened and she clawed at her restraints, desperate to free herself and then Ariel before they got back.

When she was unable to and started to give up, a figure appeared by her side and quickly began undoing the restraints for her.

Amy screamed until she realized the figure was Isabella.

“No, no, get Ariel first!” Amy insisted. “She bit her!”

Isabella nodded and ran over to Ariel’s side to help her out.

“Isa-Isabella?” Ariel gasped.

“You’ll be alright,” Isabella assured her with a nod. “It only feels fatal when they drain a lot within a short span. In a few hours, you’ll feel better.”

“We don’t have a few hours!” Amy moaned. 

Isabella freed Ariel from her restraints but Ariel was unable to even tilt forward without the floor twirling beneath her feet.

Isabella freed Amy from her restraints next and the redhead moved to help Ariel to her feet. 

“Wrap your arms around me,” Amy instructed. “We’ll get you out of here.”

“The Doctor,” Ariel breathed. “I heard-.”

“Yeah, that was the Doctor,” Amy informed her with a soft smile. “He’s here to save us. Rory too.”

“Doctor,” Ariel smiled, unable to think of anything else.

Amy helped Ariel run out, allowing the brunette to lean most of her weight on her as they moved. 

Eventually, they arrived in a corridor where the Doctor and Rory were surrounded on both sides and looking terrified.

“Doctor!” Amy cried.

“Ariel!” The Doctor shouted.

“Doctor,” Ariel smiled as the Doctor picked her up into his arms and carried her bridal style.

“Amy,” Rory sighed in relief as he found Amy wasn’t in the same state as the brunette.

“Rory,” Amy smiled quickly.

“Quickly, through here,” Isabella instructed, waving the group along the corridor from which they came

“What happened? What did they do to her?” The Doctor asked.

“They bit her,” Amy said. “They bit her because she wanted to stop them from biting me.”

The Doctor smiled softly at Ariel despite her deluded state. He knew she was brave enough to take care of Amy. He could help but fall even harder for the woman who endured that sort of pain just to save the life of a woman she didn’t particularly care for.

“Doctor,” Ariel sighed. “Not- They’re not- It’s not vampires,” she mumbled, her eyes barely open as she spoke to him.

“What?” The Doctor gasped.

“It’s fish- fish aliens,” Ariel explained. “I saw them,” she said, smiling softly.

“Ah, classic,” the Doctor laughed and Ariel chuckled softly.

“Good news, right?” Ariel nodded.

“Very good news,” the Doctor agreed. 

“That's good news?!” Rory exclaimed with wide eyes. “What is wrong with you people?!”

“Rory! Never mind that, flash this at them,” the Doctor instructed him, passing the man a very long yet slender UV light that he was unable to wave at the women with Ariel in his arms.

Rory did as he instructed and they headed out the door to the bright afternoon outside.

Ariel winced and squeezed her eyes shut against the light, but she was able to handle it a lot easier than Isabella who shrieked and recoiled the moment the sunlight touched her skin.

The Doctor had all but planned to make a run for it to the boat and get Ariel back to the house as quickly as possible, but when he saw Guido’s reaction to his daughter’s pain, he turned around with wide eyes.

“Come on. Run,” the Doctor instructed.

“I can’t,” Isabella sighed.

The women tugged Isabella back inside and shut the heavy door behind them. The Doctor was torn between just taking Ariel and running or going after Isabella to help her.

“Go,” Ariel murmured, reading his mind as she always had

“But I-,” the Doctor began.

“Put me in the boat and go, Doctor,” Ariel smiled.

The Doctor grinned down at her and placed a quick kiss on her forehead before running her to the boat and placing her beside Guido. She rested her head on one of the benches and sighed as she allowed herself to sleep.

The Doctor ran back up to the door and tried to open it but the second he touched the metal he was electrocuted with a thousand volts running through his body.

“Doctor!” Ariel shrieked, sitting up with wide eyes as the Doctor tumbled backwards down the steps.

Amy and Rory scrambled to his side and Ariel got up to try and do the same, but Guido held her back.

“You’re not getting up after the state I saw you in,” Guido shook his head.

“But I’m okay,” Ariel assured him. “I-,” she made a move to sit up but was taken back down immediately by nausea uncurling in the pit of her stomach. “Okay, maybe I’m not,” Ariel resigned as she laid back down on the bench. She decided she would take the opportunity to sleep and hope that when she awoke she would feel better.

“Is he dead?” Amy mumbled to Rory as the nurse checked the Doctor’s hearts and his breaths. She sincerely hoped she didn’t have to be the one to tell Ariel that her boyfriend was dead not too long after Amy had kissed him.

“No, he’s breathing,” Rory nodded and Amy sat back huffing a sigh of relief. “Help me get him into the boat,” he instructed and Amy nodded.

She helped him get the Doctor to his feet and they carried him to the boat before placing him inside it right next to Ariel.

The entire boat ride back, the Doctor and Ariel continuously shuffled to each other even in their unconscious states as though some basic instinct inside of them wanted them both as close together as possible no matter where they were.

Amy watched them with a frown and decided if she hadn’t known it before, she knew it for a fact now. She had made a huge mistake trying to split the pair up. Nothing could do that. They were made for each other and had a bond beyond what a single kiss could split. 


	15. Another Dead Species

The Doctor wrapped his arms around Ariel and spooned her when Amy and Rory placed them in Guido’s bed so they could get better.

They stood and watched over the couple, but there was just one thing Rory couldn’t shake as he stared at them.

Amy brought him a cup of tea and sat down by his side with a sigh.

Rory took a small sip before heaving a deep sigh. “Why did you do it?” He wondered.

“What?” Amy frowned.

“Why did you kiss him?” Rory asked and Amy’s face fell. “I know you knew he was with Ariel. When we were kids you forced me to dress up like him and you’d dress up like her. So, why did you do it?”

“Oh, I dunno,” Amy sighed, leaning back and smiling softly at the Doctor and Ariel.

“Amy,” Rory persisted. He had known her for years. He knew when she was just casually deflecting conversation because she was too scared to get into the delicate emotions she felt at the moment.

Amy sighed and hung her head, knowing he sensed that she was trying to pull away focus.

“I was scared,” she admitted, wringing her wrists as she spoke. “I thought I was going to die, but not just that I thought I was becoming a Weeping Angel and I was terrified, and then these people. These people the Doctor left me with so I could stay safe, they got reckless. They got themselves killed and were erased from time afterwards and I was all alone. I was alone for what felt like ages and I thought I was going to die and the only voice I heard was the Doctor.”

“He said I should have been there,” Rory remembered, now entirely understanding what the Doctor had meant.

“He was right,” Amy nodded. “I didn’t think about Ariel or, I dunno, I suppose I didn’t care,” she sighed. “When I looked at them all I saw was her clinging onto him and I got so wrapped up in my own way of thinking I didn’t pay attention to how he was clinging to her as well. I just dismissed her as some clingy girlfriend that he’d probably love a chance to get away from.”

“You’re not still thinking that, are you?” Rory ensured with a small frown.

“No!” Amy exclaimed with wide eyes. “No. God, no. I tried to apologize to Ariel but she wouldn’t have it. Kept saying that until she thinks I’m genuinely saying sorry it means nothing.”

“Well, to be fair you did kiss her boyfriend,” Rory reasoned with a shrug.

“I know that,” Amy sighed. “I just wish I could make up for this and get it over with.”

“It doesn’t work like that, Amy,” Rory said. “You put a dent into their relationship.”

“It doesn’t look like it,” Amy scoffed.

“Amy, she left the Tardis,” Rory reminded him. “Granted, I don’t know her as well as you lot but I don’t think she’d be the kind to just up and leave the moment she gets a little cross.”

“She isn’t,” Amy mumbled, handing her head once again in shame.

“Exactly,” Rory nodded. “I’m guessing it’s gonna take a while for her to get past this.”

“Why isn’t it taking you a while?” Amy frowned. “We’re engaged and I kissed another man. Shouldn’t you be a bit more upset?”

“I was,” Rory nodded. “I mean, I am,” he frowned. “I just- I don’t know,” he sighed. “I figured I’d want to kill him, the Doctor, for kissing you but now that I know both sides I don’t really know what to think,” he admitted.

“Are you mad at me?” Amy asked.

“How can I be mad at you?” Rory wondered. “You were scared and alone and you shouldn’t have to apologize for that.”

“You know what I mean,” Amy said. “Even though I was scared I shouldn’t have-.”

“I don’t blame you, Amy,” Rory shook his head. “Granted, if we cancel the wedding now we’ll lose the deposit on the village hall and the salsa band.”

“Oh, you know I hated that salsa band,” Amy giggled. “I hate salsa.”

“A small price to pay,” Rory smirked. “I get the salsa band and you get to keep Laura on as the bridesmaid.”

“We like Laura!” Amy exclaimed with large eyes.

“No, you like Laura,” Rory reminded her with a bemused grin. “First time we met she told me I smelt funny and asked where your real boyfriend was.”

Amy snorted at the memory. “Yeah, but she apologized,” she sighed.

“Yeah, right after she said ‘no, seriously, _he’s_ your boyfriend?’”

“Alright, fair enough,” Amy conceded. She spared a hesitant glance at Rory and smiled softly. She didn’t deserve him. He was too good to her. Too forgiving. And yet he stayed. Through all the other blokes he was the one that stayed.

All those boys chasing her at school and there had only ever been Rory.

“I’m sorry,” Amy mumbled, truly meaning it.

Rory looked at her and smiled. “I know,” he nodded. “And I accept your apology, but I think there’s someone else who might just be willing to now.” He gestured to the girl on the bed just beginning to wake up.

Ariel moaned and clutched her head. “Oh, my head is banging,” she mumbled, clutching her head. “Where’s-?” She turned and spotted the source of the arm wrapped around her and smiled. “Ah.” She placed a soft kiss on his forehead and got out of bed. “So, he’ll be alright then?” She prompted, raising an eyebrow at Rory as she rubbed her temple.

“Just about,” Rory nodded.

Ariel nodded and glanced down at Rory’s cup of tea. “Oh, brilliant,” she smiled. She took his cup of tea and chugged it gratefully.

“Erm, that was-,” Rory began.

Ariel pulled the cup away from her lips and scowled at him. “I’ve had most of the moisture drained out of my body while saving your fiancée,” she reminded him.

“Fair enough,” Rory conceded with a shrug. He glanced at Amy who was staring up at the brunette with large eyes. “Er, I’m gonna go see if I can’t get back into my old clothes,” he sighed. He got up from his seat and with on last awkward glance at the women, he left.

Ariel narrowed her eyes at him but said nothing as she took his seat and fixed her eyes on the Doctor with a sigh.

“Er, Ariel, there’s something I need to-,” Amy began.

“Are you gonna try to apologize again ‘cos I really don’t wanna hear it unless you really mean it,” Ariel sighed.

“I do,” Amy promised. “I’m sorry.”

Ariel turned to Amy and frowned. “Are you saying that because Rory forced you to or because you really mean it?”

“I really mean it,” Amy nodded. “When I kissed the Doctor I was scared and he was the only voice I heard and I thought at the time it just made sense.”

“What about me?” Ariel wondered. “Because I heard you on that scanner you insulted me and said I didn’t need to know about what you planned to do, and don’t play ignorant because I know it went far beyond a few seconds of kissing.”

“I thought you were clingy,” Amy admitted.

Ariel nodded. “Getting that but you said I couldn’t make him happy in that department. Pardon my language but don't you think that sounds a bit bitchy? I mean what if I said you couldn’t make Rory happy in bed?”

“It was awful,” Amy nodded. “But when I said that I thought you were just fawning after him like some silly schoolgirl,” she reasoned.

“Wasn’t that what you were doing?” Ariel scoffed, taking a sip of her tea after she spoke. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she said, turning to Amy with wide eyes. “That was rude of me and I shouldn’t have said that to you or insulted you in such a way. See? That’s the proper way to apologize,” she sighed. “Right after I offended you I owned up to it and I didn’t insult you or try to excuse my mistake, I admitted I was wrong.”

“I’m sorry,” Amy insisted. “I was blinded and I wasn’t thinking straight and I shouldn’t have said that about you. You’re right that was a bitchy thing to do and kissing him was even worse. I know you probably can’t forgive me anytime soon but I do want us to be able to move on and maybe be friends?” She offered with a shrug.

“Amy, I wanted to be friends with you,” Ariel sighed. “My last friend lost her memory and can’t ever remember me and I thought when you came on board that maybe I could have a best friend to travel with and make fun of the Doctor with whenever he’s not around.”

“Heard that,” the Doctor mumbled as he rolled over and pulled the covers up to his chin.

“You were meant to,” Ariel smiled. She turned back to Amy and that smile fell. “But yeah, I thought we had a real shot at that after Prisoner Zero but then you kept flirting with the Doctor and making eyes at him and then you kissed him. It’s making me think you really just want me gone.”

“I don’t,” Amy assured her. “I just screwed up and the Doctor was this foreign man that I’ve known since I was little offering me the chance to run away with him in the dead of night and I fell.”

“I can get that,” Ariel nodded. “I can understand you having a crush on him I mean, hell, I fell for him,” she smirked. “I just wish you would’ve told me when you knew I was jealous rather than continuing to hide it and then wind up kissing him.”

“I know,” Amy sighed. “I screwed up, and I’m sorry.”

“Alright,” Ariel smiled. “That actually felt genuine,” she chuckled. “I’ll accept your apology but don’t think that’s gonna stop me being jealous when you’re close to the Doctor,” she warned. “It’s just who I am.”

Amy chuckled and nodded. “You’d have every right to,” she said. “So, are we good?”

“We’re good,” Ariel nodded.

“Oh, thank God,” the Doctor moaned as he pushed the covers off him and jumped up. “I was getting really tired of pretending like I was asleep,” he confessed.

Ariel giggled and stood up, walking over and pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. “Now, I’m gonna go get changed, but in the meantime you should tell him what we know,” she instructed Amy.

The redhead nodded and stood up. “You’re trusting me to be alone with him?” Amy frowned.

“Oh, of course not, I’m gonna have eyes far better than my own watching you too,” Ariel smiled.

Right after she said that, Rory walked back into the room with his stag shirt on him. “Hello!” He exclaimed. “I’m back,” he announced.

Ariel flashed a grin at the pair. “Bye!” She giggled before heading out the door to fetch her clothes in Isabella’s room.

~~~

After she and Amy got changed, they all met in the small dining room to wrap everything that they had experienced together and allow the Doctor to figure out just what they were up against.

“Alright, so you said she looked like a fish,” the Doctor frowned, glancing at the two women.

“Basically,” Ariel hummed and Amy nodded in agreement. “It was like a rather large fish with bony fingers in a dress and she had this small device on her that Amy kicked-,” she said, gesturing for Amy to carry on the story.

“Yeah, it was this sort of small device on her hip and when I kicked it, her whole image seemed to lag and that was when we saw the fish thing, but her lower body looked more like a lobster and I still don’t know any fish that have those strange teeth,” Amy frowned.

“She must be using a perception filter,” the Doctor nodded. “She’d be using it as a way to blend in so she could turn those other girls into her own species.”

“But what is she?” Ariel wondered. “Because when she bit me I felt like I hadn’t had a thing to drink in ages. It was like all of a sudden I was parched even though I’d tea just before we went there,” she frowned.

“Fish-like creatures the drain people of moisture and replace their own blood,” the Doctor mumbled as he racked his mind for encounters with anything fitting that description. His eyes widened as he recalled the Time Lords war with the Great Vampires buried in his memory. “Fish vampires!” The Doctor exclaimed.

“What?” Ariel frowned, glancing at Amy and Rory to see if either of them caught that but both shook their heads.

“Fish vampires,” the Doctor sighed. “Or the more proper term being Sisters of the Water. They originate from Saturnyne. The Time Lords fought a battle with the Great Vampires ages ago and Saturnyne was caught in the crossfire giving them a bit of a taste for blood.”

“A bit?” Ariel scoffed, rubbing her neck at the very memory.

“They’re a species built to survive in water but they can make due on land. They just need to be constantly hydrated and require a lot of water to ever really be happy here,” the Doctor explained.

“But I still have questions,” Ariel sighed. “Why are they here? What are they doing? And if they’re using perception filters why can we see their teeth?” She wondered.

“None of which I have the answer to,” the Doctor mumbled. He hated when he was unable to satiate Ariel’s curiosity.

“Hold on, I think we’re forgetting the most important question of all,” Amy reminded them. “Isabella couldn’t go out into the sunlight. She had to go back inside. If they took her back but knew she helped Ariel and I escape, what did they do to her? Where is she?”

“Good point,” the Doctor nodded. “I think it’s time we pay this Signora Calvierri a visit and see if we can’t answer some of these questions,” he sighed.

“I’m coming with you,” Ariel said, already jumping up as though she were diving into action.

“No, you’re not,” the Doctor snapped.

“What?” Ariel gasped.

“What?” Amy repeated. She wasn’t sure she had ever seen the Doctor turn Ariel away from a task and by the looks of it Ariel seemed just as flabbergasted as her.

The Doctor turned to Ariel and cupped her cheek. “I care more about your safety than the need to interrogate some old fish woman by your side. I’m not letting you within a mile of that place and I am certainly not letting you anywhere near Signora Calvierri, not after the state she put you in.”

“I’m fine,” Ariel insisted. “Besides, you’d be in danger too.”

“No, I’m not,” the Doctor shook his head. “I’m not exactly someone they can easily change. My blood is different than an ordinary human. If they try to put their blood in me regeneration energy would help with that,” he shrugged.

Ariel hesitated, but she could see he held a good point. “Are you sure?” She prompted.

“I will be right back,” the Doctor assured her with a nod. “You don’t need to worry.”

“I always worry,” Ariel smiled.

“And that’s why I love you,” the Doctor grinned. He tilted her chin up and kissed her sweetly. She wrapped him in a tight hug and sighed softly.

The Doctor passed her a quick grin before taking a deep breath and waving good bye to the room.

Ariel collapsed into her chair and groaned.

“What is it?” Rory frowned.

“I miss him,” Ariel mumbled.

Amy snorted and shook her head at the brunette. “You are the cheesiest,” she laughed and Ariel giggled.

“I’m gonna go get something to eat,” Amy sighed. She got up and kissed Rory on the cheek.

“Can you get me something to drink?” Ariel asked. “I feel like I need to drink as much as I can,” she frowned.

“Got it,” Amy nodded. She flashed a quick smile at Ariel before heading into Guido’s kitchen to get something to snack on.

Ariel turned to Rory with a sigh. “And then there were two,” she hummed and Rory chuckled. “Y’know I met Agatha Christie once. We had to battle a giant wasp.”

“Sometimes I think you and the Doctor just make this stuff up,” Rory smiled.

“Oh, I wish,” Ariel sighed. “You would not believe the things I’ve seen,” she laughed.

“You mean apart from the fish vampires?” Rory prompted, raising an eyebrow at her.

Ariel giggled. “Yep,” she sighed. “For starters, I met some human fat that was being made into actual small babies,” she said and Rory’s eyes grew wide. “Then there were the people being made into living stone in Pompeii,” she listed.

“Okay, wow,” Rory sighed. “But why did you do it?”

“Do what?” Ariel asked, raising an eyebrow at Rory.

“Why did you run off with him?”

“Besides the fact that when we met he told me he could travel through all of time and space?” Ariel scoffed. “I dunno, I guess I just wanted some adventure in my life. I knew that if I said no I would end up going home, doing my homework and then going to classes the next morning with nothing really happening. It would just be the same dull day after day and I’d never have an adventure like traveling with him promised.”

“Huh,” Rory frowned.

“What is it?”

“I was just thinking, you know, I’ve never really had that. That need to go out on adventures and see the world. I’ve always just been perfectly happy where I was,” Rory shrugged.

“That’s okay,” Ariel nodded. “Some people don’t really feel the need for big adventures. They don’t have that little voice in them saying that they should explore and see everything they can while they still can. They’re just happy being with the ones they love and living life where they are.”

“Yeah, but something’s different,” Rory mumbled. “Is it always like this? Running around saving planets?”

“Yep,” Ariel sighed. “Things around the Doctor just tend to go wrong so most trips usually end in us having to save people.”

“I don’t doubt that thing’s tend to go wrong with the Doctor around,” Rory mumbled and Ariel snorted.

“Oh, that wasn’t his fault,” Ariel sighed. “I don’t think it was really anyone’s fault,” she shrugged. “Just a matter of circumstance.”

“You’re handling this surprisingly well considering what Amy told me,” Rory frowned.

“Well, I have a lot of other things on my mind so putting this whole thing out of it is actually a relief,” Ariel sighed.

“What else do you have to think about?” Rory wondered.

“Besides the potential of fish vampires taking over the planet?” Ariel chuckled. “I guess most of it is really in the future, but I still can’t stop thinking about it.”

“Well, if it’s in the future what’s there to worry about?” Rory asked. “Worry about it when you get there.”

“You’ve got a point,” Ariel nodded. “I dunno, I just keep feeling like I’m it’s getting closer and closer and there’s nothing I can do.”

“Do you happen to know when this mysterious event is gonna happen?” Rory asked.

“Well, it’s not like I can give you an exact timeline seeing as tomorrow can still be waiting for twelve years with the Doctor,” Ariel shrugged.

“Then you don’t need to worry,” Rory assured her. “Until you find an exact time where this thing is gonna happen or you actually get close to it, you don’t need to spend all your time worrying about something that’s pretty much a blank at the moment.”

“I guess,” Ariel nodded. “You know you’re really good at the advice thing,” she remarked.

“Thanks,” Rory chuckled. “The Doctor hasn’t told you any of this?”

“Well, he’s just as worried as I am,” Ariel shrugged. “Whatever we’re heading towards is pretty much catastrophic.”

“If it’s that bad then you really shouldn’t worry about it,” Rory insisted. “It’s like you said, like while you can, right?”

Ariel smirked. “Yeah, I suppose. But what about you?”

“What about me, what?” Rory prompted.

“After all this is over, are you gonna stay with us?” Ariel wondered. “Travel around all of time and space?” She smiled. “Do you even want to?”

“I think I’d want to,” Rory nodded. “It could be fun, but it all really depends on Amy. I don’t wanna make her uncomfortable by being here when she doesn’t want me.”

“Huh, you’re a really good guy, Rory Williams,” Ariel smiled.

“Thanks,” Rory grinned.

Amy walked in and placed a small cup beside Ariel. “I didn’t know what sort of tea to make you so I just made it how Rory likes it since you seemed to enjoy that.”

“Thanks, Amy,” Ariel smiled, lifting the cup and drinking happily. “Rory and I were just talking and would you be alright with him traveling with us?” She asked and Rory’s face fell. He had expected they’d need to ask Amy eventually but he didn’t think she’d do it right off the bat.

“I dunno,” Amy frowned, glancing back at Rory. “Why?”

“Just curious,” Ariel shrugged. “But think on it. It’d be really cool to have two people to travel with inside of one,” she smiled.

“Alright,” Amy nodded.

Ariel leaned back and stretched but winced in pain, clutching the bite on her neck.

“Is that still hurting you?” Amy frowned.

“It’s alright, I just- ah!” Ariel exclaimed, wincing at the stinging pain.

“No, it’s not,” Amy shook her head. She jumped up and ran to Ariel’s side to inspect the wound. It was pink around the two small holes but there was nothing else of interest.

“Let me see that,” Rory sighed. “I’m a nurse. I can take care of it.”

“Oh, have a lot of experience dealing with bites from a vampire fish, do you?” Amy chuckled.

Rory rolled his eyes but still smiled at his fiancée as he moved her to the side to take a look at the wound. “I’ll at least be able to tell if it’s infected,” he mumbled.

“How can a vampire bite be infected?” Ariel frowned.

“Same way if an ordinary person bit you and broke skin you could get infected,” Rory shrugged. “A wound is a wound.”

He narrowed his eyes at it but couldn’t find anything particularly worrying. “Nope,” he shook his head. “I don’t see anything. Maybe, it’s your body just processing the blood loss?” He offered.

“That still doesn’t explain why it’s pink around the bite,” Amy frowned.

“It’s pink?” Ariel said and then made the very intelligent move of trying to look at her neck which made Amy snicker.

“Nice move, genius,” Amy remarked.

“Oh, shove off,” Ariel moaned. “Maybe, we should just ask the Doctor when he gets here.”

As if he heard her call, the front door of Guido’s house swung open and the Doctor marched into the dining room.

“You’re all still sitting here?” The Doctor frowned.

“Doctor, Ariel’s neck is hurting her,” Amy informed him and the Doctor’s eyes grew wide.

He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and checked Ariel’s puncture wounds. “Has it been hurting this whole time?” He asked.

“No just a few minutes ago when I started stretching,” Ariel responded.

The Doctor checked his scan and shook his head. “You’re fine,” he assured her. “You must have just irritated it while stretching. Open wide,” he instructed.

Ariel opened her mouth wide and the Doctor placed a humbug onto her tongue. She closed her mouth and smiled gratefully at the taste of the candy.

“So, what did you find out?” Amy wondered, asking the question just as Guido walked in back into his original clothes.

“Is there any news of my daughter?” Guido asked and the Doctor’s face fell.

“Yes, I’m sorry Guido. She was executed for helping Ariel and Amy,” the Doctor said.

Ariel and Amy’s eyes widened at the idea of the woman who had helped them being killed for that very fact.

“I’m so sorry,” Ariel sighed and Guido took a deep breath.

“No, no, it’s alright,” Guido assured the brunette. He didn’t want her to feel bad for something that wasn’t her fault. “You’re not to blame for this. The House of Calvierri is,” he sneered.

“What else is there?” Rory implored.

“Well, I got the answer to your question about her teeth,” the Doctor nodded. “Self preservation overrides the mirage. The subconscious perceives the threat and tries to alert the conscious brain,” he explained and Ariel stared up at him wide eyes but nodded nonetheless.

“Also, they came here fleeing from their own planet. It became uninhabitable and so this planet is to become Saturnyne Mark Two,” he said.

“Okay, but there’s gotta be something else,” Ariel insisted. “She can’t just be converting everybody in the world into fish people,” she muttered.

“So they really are fish people,” Amy sighed, her eyes wide with the realization.

“Argh!” The Doctor exclaimed, combing his fingers through his hair furiously. “I need to think. Come on, brain. Think, think, think. Think,” he rambled. He plopped down at the head of the table while Amy took a seat beside Ariel and across from Rory.

“If they're fish people, it explains why they hate the sun,” Amy reasoned with a small shrug.

“Stop talking. Brain thinking. Hush,” the Doctor instructed, placing his hand over her mouth.

“It's the school thing I don't understand,” Rory frowned and the Doctor placed his hand over Rory’s mouth.

“Stop talking. Brain thinking. Hush,” he repeated.

“I saw we take the fight to them!” Guido exclaimed.

“Ah, ah, ah,” the Doctor muttered, nodding to Guido with large eyes.

“What?” Guido frowned.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow at Rory and the man rolled his eyes before placing his hand over Guido’s mouth.

“Ah,” the Doctor sighed, now perfectly content with the state of things.

Ariel giggled as she looked around. Everyone had a hand over their mouth except for her and the Doctor and the appearance of it was just highly amusing.

“Her planet dies, so they flee through a crack in space and time and end up here. Then she closes off the city and, one by one, starts changing the people into creatures like her to start a new gene pool. Got it. But then what? They come from the sea,” the Doctor sighed.

“You said it takes a lot for them to hydrate so they probably wouldn’t want to stay on land forever,” Ariel shook her head.

“And they can't survive forever on land, so what's she going to do?” The Doctor agreed with a nod.

Ariel grinned when the Doctor didn’t instruct Amy to place her hand over her mouth. Whenever he was thinking aloud, she was the one voice that he wouldn’t mind hearing speak. Considering the fact that this was the Doctor, that meant more than words could say.

“Unless she's going to do something to the environment to make the city habitable,” the Doctor frowned. “She said, I shall bend the heavens to save my race,” he remembered. “Bend the heavens,” he repeated and removed his hands from Amy and Rory’s mouths. “Bend the heavens,” he mumbled and began pushing their heads back and forth, bending them to reinforce his words. “She's going to sink Venice,” he gasped, his eyes wide as he realized.

“She’s going to sink Venice?” Guido echoed with equally large eyes.

“And repopulate it with the girls she's transformed,” the Doctor scoffed.

“You can't repopulate somewhere with just women,” Rory frowned. “You need blokes,” he said.

“Hold on,” Ariel murmured. She turned to Amy and they both seemed to have the same thought in the exact same moment.

“She’s got blokes!” Amy exclaimed.

“Where?” The Doctor asked.

“In the canal,” Amy replied.

“She said that if we survive the transformation process we’ve got ten thousand husbands waiting in the water,” Ariel remembered.

“Only the male offspring survived the journey here,” the Doctor smiled as the pieces began to fall into place. “She's got ten thousand children swimming around the canals, waiting for Mum to make them some compatible girlfriends,” he hummed and they all winced at the very idea. “Urgh. I mean, I've been around a bit, but really that's, that's eugh,” he shook his head.

“Gross,” Ariel agreed.

All of a sudden, there was the a loud thump and creak from the roof that sounded like some strange animals running around and making noises.

“The people upstairs are very noisy,” the Doctor remarked.

“There aren't any people upstairs,” Guido mumbled.

“Do you know, I knew you were going to say that,” the Doctor chuckled. “Did anyone else know he was going to say that?”

“I knew,” Ariel smiled and the Doctor laughed and nodded to her.

“Is it the vampires?” Rory asked.

“Like I said, they're not vampires,” the Doctor reminded him. He grabbed the large UV light from the ground and turned it on. “Fish from space,” he hummed.

The women likely sent by Signora Calvierri gathered around the doors and Ariel spun to see the women surrounding the window.

“Er,” Ariel said, pointing a shaky finger to the girls.

“Aren’t we on the second floor?” Rory frowned.

The women shattered the window and the Doctor jumped in front of Ariel to shine his UV light at them. When that hardly did anything, he pulled out his sonic and used it to reveal their true forms.

They were exactly like Signora Calvierri. There was nothing left of the human girls who had joined the school.

“What’s happened to them?” Guido gasped.

“There's nothing left of them. They've been fully converted. Blimey, fish from space have never been so buxom,” the Doctor chuckled.

Ariel wanted to laugh along with him but the sight of the women getting closer from the doorways stopped her from doing so. “Doctor,” Ariel murmured and jabbed an anxious thumb to the girls.

“Okay, move,” the Doctor nodded.

“Come on!” Rory exclaimed, waving Amy and Guido through.

The Doctor shined the light on the women to help them get through the staircase down to the front door, but when they arrived, Guido stopped the Doctor.

“Give me the lamp,” Guido insisted.

The Doctor simply noticed, all too focused on getting everyone out there to pay attention or care when Guido began using the UV light to make his way back up the stairs.

“Go, go, go, guys. Keep moving. Go, go, go,” the Doctor instructed Rory and Amy before turning to Ariel. “You too,” he nodded.

“Nice try,” Ariel chuckled.

The Doctor smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead before turning back to the building.

There, Guido was fending off the women and had his hand on the door ready to close it.

“Stay away from the door, Doctor,” Guido instructed and the Doctor’s eyes grew wide as Guido slammed the door shut.

“No. Guido, What are you doing?!” The Doctor exclaimed, slamming his hands on the door and trying to pull it open.

“Guido, please, don’t do this!” Ariel cried.

“We’re not leaving you,” the Doctor insisted. “What are you doing?!”

He tried to pull out his sonic screwdriver and use it on the door but within a matter of seconds he discovered it was useless.

“Ah, bolted,” the Doctor sighed.

“Plus, it’s wood,” Ariel frowned. “It doesn’t do wood, remember?” She smirked.

“Is that more of a friendly reminder or you making fun?” The Doctor asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

“Little bit of both,” Ariel shrugged and the Doctor snorted and rolled his eyes. “Hold on,” Ariel frowned. “Guido said to stay away from the door and from the start he wanted to use that gunpowder against the vampires-.”

“Fish from space,” the Doctor corrected.

“So, could it be possible that he’s going to use it now?” Ariel proposed.

“That is very possible,” the Doctor hummed, his eyes growing wide as he stared at the door. “That is indeed a bit too possible. Come on,” he said, grabbing Ariel’s hand.

“What about him?!” Ariel exclaimed.

“He’s made his choice, now we have to make ours,” the Doctor insisted. “Come on!” He cried.

Ariel hesitated but eventually nodded and they started running together, as fast as they could.

Within a few moments there was a loud explosion within the house. It knocked Ariel and the Doctor off their feet though in the last few seconds the Doctor had jumped as far as he could over Ariel to shield her from the blast.

They got to their feet and the Doctor automatically turned to Ariel. “Are you alright?” The Doctor prompted.

Ariel winced and rubbed her forehead which had collided roughly with the dirt but nodded. “I’m fine,” she assured him with a nod.

However, when she looked into the sky, she saw that while she may be okay Venice was less peachy.

“Though I don’t think Venice is going to be,” she said, pointing up to the sky where smoke was rolling across the clouds.

Amy and Rory ran up to them and followed their line of focus only to have their jaws drop at the very sight.

“Rosanna's initiating the final phase,” the Doctor mumbled.

“We need to stop her,” Amy nodded. “Come on.”

“No, no, no. Get back to the Tardis,” the Doctor sighed.

“You can't stop her on your own,” Amy frowned, glancing to Ariel as though the brunette might help her, but Ariel knew not to step in. If the Doctor was deciding something for herself she wasn’t going to gang up on him and say he’s wrong. Especially not when the world was ending at that moment.

“We don't discuss this!” The Doctor snapped. “I tell you to do something, Amy, and you do it!”

Amy glared at him but accepted his words and stormed off. Rory watched her leave with a small smile. He knew she looked at the Doctor as though he could do no wrong, so the moment he made her angry Rory could help.

“Thank you,” Rory nodded to the Doctor before running after Amy.

The Doctor hung his head and raked his fingers through his hair. “You’re welcome,” he mumbled.

“Aw, you’re a good man,” Ariel hummed. She wrapped her arms around him and pressed a kiss to his cheek while he smiled.

“So, what do you say, Ari? The two of us? Just like old times?”

“Oh, its always been the two of us, you daft old man. Even when you’re too stupid to realize it,” Ariel giggled.

The Doctor chuckled and kissed her sweetly. “I love you, you know?”

“I always know,” Ariel nodded. “I love you too.”

The Doctor grinned and grabbed her hand and together they ran back to the House of Calvierri.

“When did you decide I could go back to the House?” Ariel wondered.

“‘Bout two minutes ago,” the Doctor shrugged.

“Why?”

“Because I’m sure as hell not sending you back to the Tardis and I’m not leaving you out here when the city is about to be flooded,” the Doctor responded. “House of Calvierri is about as safe as it gets with me right now.”

“Fair enough,” Ariel nodded. “But when did you get on a first name basis with Signora Calvierri?”

“Oh, let’s not start this now,” the Doctor moaned.

“Start what?” Ariel giggled. “I’m just making an observation,” she assured him.

“Whatever you say,” the Doctor sighed. “But let the record show I haven’t said a word about her son fancying you.” Of course he felt the need to bring up how Francesco had been creepily obsessed with Ariel and Amy.

“He bit my neck and sucked my blood!” Ariel exclaimed. “That is so not the same thing!” She cried, chasing after the Doctor as he just chuckled and shook his head before running into the Calvierri House.

“Alright, last time I was here I knew there had to be something on the throne. Maybe, it’s some sort of beacon or something for the fire,” the Doctor suggested.

“Makes sense,” Ariel nodded. “She did seem awfully keen on being near it whenever she could,” she agreed.

They marched up to the throne and the Doctor opened up the back of it. There were all sorts of flashing lights and devices that Ariel couldn’t even begin to comprehend and apparently neither could the Doctor because rather than utilizing it automatically, he just sonicked it to try and get a read on it.

“You're too late!” Rosanna exclaimed, swaggering into the room with impenetrable confidence. “Such determination, just to save one city. Hard to believe it's the same man that let an entire race turn to cinders and ash,” she hummed. “Now you can watch as my people take their new kingdom.”

“It’ll be a kingdom of all blokes again,” Ariel sighed. She tried just pulling the wires in the throne while the Doctor marched up to Rosanna and glared at her.

“The girls have gone, Rosanna,” the Doctor told her.

Rosanna’s confidence faltered and she frowned at the Doctor. “You’re lying,” she breathed.

“Shouldn’t we be dead, hmm?” He prompted, nodding to himself and Ariel who gave a small wave, poking her head out from behind the throne in a way that the Doctor couldn’t help but see as entirely adorable.

Rosanna clenched her jaw and with newfound venom dripping from her eyes, she turned and stormed out of the room.

“Rosanna, please, help us,” the Doctor begged. “There are two hundred thousand people in this city.”

“So save them!” Rosanna snapped, leaving without another word.

The Doctor cried out in fury, stamping his foot like an irritated child and pulling at his hair as though he wanted to yank it from his skull.

“Doctor,” Ariel sighed, seeing his rage taking form. “Doctor, tranquillitas,” she hummed. “Te amo, Doctor, tranquillitas,” she said.

The Doctor took deep breaths and seemed to find his peace in Ariel’s calm but steady words when she spoke to him. He nodded and returned to her side.

They tried everything they could to get the programme to shut down but nothing seemed to work.

“Argh!” The Doctor shouted. “She’s locked the programme!”

Just then, Amy and Rory ran inside but they were both wet. Ariel sighed. The rain had started already and it wasn’t long before Rosanna succeeded in sinking Venice.

“Get out,” the Doctor snapped the moment he spotted the couple “We need to stabilise the storm.”

“We’re not leaving you,” Rory said and the Doctor clenched his jaw.

“Doctor, tranquillitas,” Ariel warned and he just waved her away as he marched over to Rory and Amy.

“Right, so one minute it's all you make people a danger to themselves, and the next it's we're not leaving you,” the Doctor snapped. “But if one of you gets squashed or blown up or eaten, who gets the-.”

He was cut off by the entire building shaking and throwing them all off their feet while tossing Ariel headfirst into the throne.

She clutched her head and groaned as the shaking stopped.

“What was that?!” Rory exclaimed.

“Nothing,” the Doctor assured them and Ariel raised an eyebrow at him, spotting when he was obviously lying. “Bit of an earthquake,” he shrugged.

“An earthquake?!” Amy yelled.

“Manipulate the elements, it can trigger earthquakes,” the Doctor sighed. “But don't worry about them,” he shook his head.

“No?” Rory prompted, raising an eyebrow at the Doctor.

“No,” the Doctor shook his head. “Worry about the tidal waves caused by the earthquake.”

“Otherwise known as the thing that will _actually_ kill us,” Ariel explained.

“Right,” the Doctor nodded. “So, Rosanna's throne is the control hub but she's locked the programme, so, tear out every single wire and circuit in the throne. Go crazy. Hit it with a stick, anything. We need it to shut down and reroute control to the secondary hub, which I'm guessing will also be the generator,” he hummed.

“Which is?” Ariel prompted.

“You’re not gonna like this,” the Doctor sighed.

~~~

Ariel stared up at the bell tower, wincing against the persistent rain. “You’re right, I don’t like it.”

She hated bell towers. She hated that most films she watched were old ones where people dove or were pushed off of bell towers. She hated how loud they were and she hated risky climbs because she was clumsy as all hell and she knew she would fall.

“You can stay here,” the Doctor offered.

“No, I can do it,” Ariel sighed. “I’m not gonna sit and watch as you climb to the top of a bell tower and I sit here and do nothing.”

The Doctor smiled softly and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He pressed a firm kiss to her forehead.

The Doctor grabbed her hand and they headed inside, up the stairs to the top of the bell tower.

Once they got inside, there were different power cables leading to what appeared to be an alien device undoubtedly left by Rosanna to trigger the storms. The cables lead all the way beyond the bell at the top of the tower to the roof.

Ariel glanced at the Doctor and heaved a deep sigh. He simply chuckled, grabbed her hand and ran up the steps.

Throughout the bell tower, the clanging of the bell set to announce the end of times to the people of Venice clanged loudly and the higher up in the bell tower they got the more it pounded on Ariel’s skull.

As they got to the very top and Ariel spotted the bell right beside her, she fell to her knees, covering her ears and wincing against the incessant banging of the bell.

The Doctor seemed to be similarly afflicted because he covered both his ears and trudged up the steps.

“Shut up!” He cried. “Shut up!”

He climbed up to the bell and Ariel watched as he jumped over to the bell pull clanging on the sides of the bell and drumming into Ariel’s mind. He grabbed onto it, luckily, and held on tightly to still it and silence the bell.

Once the bell rang quiet, the Doctor jumped off with a sigh. “That’s better,” he smiled and Ariel nodded firmly.

He ran up to the window and one of the power cables lead out of it and up to the roof. He tugged on it curiously a few times and when he found it was strong enough to carry them, he nodded to Ariel and they began inching their way outside.

They both walked onto a small yet thin ledge to get on the exterior building and Ariel found herself desperate not to look down despite the frantic screams of the population below drawing her attention. The Doctor started to slip and Ariel’s eyes widened.

She grabbed ahold of his coat and helped him steady his balance on the ledge so he wouldn’t fall.

He sent her a grateful smile and she sighed softly in relief as he regained his footing.

The Doctor grabbed ahold of the power cable and began his climb upwards to the very top of the tower.

“Grab ahold tightly,” the Doctor called, the storm drowning out his voice. “The rain is making it slippery.”

“Got it,” Ariel nodded. Once the Doctor was a bit ahead of her, she grabbed onto the pipe and fought every instinct thrumming through her veins to look down and notice the drop below. She held on tightly and tried not to allow her anxiety and concern to flood her mind and make her hands sweaty, thus slipping her down the cable and inevitably dropping to the ground.

“It’s alright,” the Doctor assured her. “You’re alright. We’re almost there.”

Ariel took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she nodded. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, but fought to focus on the Doctor’s figure steadily inching his way up the roof.

He got up to the brass bell at the top of the tower and glanced down at Ariel. “Come on, you can do this!” The Doctor called.

Ariel flashed him an anxious girl and nodded. She sucked in a sharp breath and paced herself against the slippery roof.

When she got within a few steps of the Doctor and the brass bell and he held out his hand for her. She was more than happy to grab his hand and allow him to pull her up the last few steps. He wrapped his arm around her and she buried her face in his shoulder, sighing deeply into him as he smiled and combed his fingers through her hair.

“You did wonderfully,” the Doctor mumbled.

“But it’s not over,” Ariel nodded. She took a deep breath and turned to the brass bell. “Let’s do this.”

The Doctor grinned down at her and nodded. He was so proud of her for facing up to the small things she may be afraid of. She was so brave and so brilliant and now that she was in his life, he knew he wouldn’t be able to imagine spending a day without her.

The pair opened the bass bell to reveal clockwork within. There were layers of spinning globes and knobs and Ariel’s eyes widened at the very sight.

They each grasped at the devices, searching for some sort of switch or something to stop the rain.

“Ah!” Ariel exclaimed as she spotted a small silver switch spinning toward her. She immediately fumbled for it and flicked it victoriously.

There was a moment of pause before the clouds began rolling away and the thundering storms disappeared.

The Doctor’s eyes widened and he laughed as Ariel giggled and allowed her head to fall onto the brass bell as relief flooded her body.

The Doctor scooted closer to her side and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her head and Ariel found she could not stop grinning. She giggled and the Doctor placed his chin atop her head, smiling down at the brass bell.

Beneath the bell tower, the crowds of Venice cheered at the ending of the rain and the Doctor chuckled and waved to them as he placed the cover back over the brass bell.

“Now how to we get down?” Ariel asked.

The Doctor’s smile fell and he winced. “Oh,” he mumbled and glanced over his shoulder at the drop beneath them. “Right.”

~~~

A little bit later after the Doctor and Ariel had finally found their way back down to the ground, Rosanna found her perception filter could not be turned off any longer and she could not resume her natural form.

She undressed quickly from the elegant dress she wore all the time into the clothes every girl in the House of Calvierri was made to wear.

However, before she could sacrifice herself, Ariel and the Doctor came bolting out to the plank where Isabella had died that very same day.

“Rosanna!” The Doctor cried.

“Signora Calvierri, don’t!” Ariel bellowed.

The couple had been just about to leave with Amy and Rory when halfway down the steps of the bell tower the Doctor remembered Rosanna. If she had already realized they saved the city, they needed to get back to her and fast before she did something reckless. He told Ariel and the pair bolted back to the House of Calvierri to find her on the verge of killing herself and consequently the remaining members of her species.

“One city to save an entire species,” Rosanna sighed. “Was that so much to ask?”

“I told you, you can't go back and change time,” the Doctor reminded her.

“People die, Rosanna,” Ariel nodded. “It’s just apart of life.”

“You mourn, but you live,” the Doctor agreed. “Don’t do this, Rosanna,” he begged. “I know. I did it.”

“Tell me, Doctor. Can your conscience carry the weight of another dead race?” Rosanna wondered, glancing back at him with a raised eyebrow. The Doctor paled and Ariel clenched her jaw, biting back any words of spite she might hiss at the older woman. “Remember us. Dream of us,” she hummed.

Rosanna took a deep breath and jumped off the plank, into the water before Ariel and the Doctor could get to her.

“No!” The Doctor bellowed.

He and Ariel both jumped after Rosanna but were just a few seconds too late. She fell into the water and there were sharp, piercing shrieks from the species as their mother died and the water stilled as they did as well.

The Doctor heaved a deep sigh and stood up, combing his still wet hair out of his eyes.

“It’s my fault,” the Doctor mumbled.

“No, it isn’t,” Ariel shook her head, her words seeming more instinctive at this point.

“If I had just been a second quicker-,” the Doctor began.

“If you had been a second quicker the race still would have died out. You’re not to blame for that. Only the male offspring and their mother survived. They would have either died naturally or this way. You are not to blame,” Ariel insisted.

“I still can’t,” the Doctor mumbled, shaking his head.

“I know,” Ariel smiled softly. “As much as you’d disagree, you have two big hearts and care about everyone and everything. The things you’ve done only make you care more, and that’s a good thing,” she assured him with a nod. “That’s why I love you.”

The Doctor smiled as she pressed her lips against his in a gentle kiss.

“I love you too,” the Doctor murmured.

Ariel grinned at him as she took his hand in hers. “What do you say we go find Amy and Rory and try to see if we can’t get them to their wedding?” She hummed.

The Doctor chuckled and pulled his hand out of her so he could wrap his arm around her shoulders and pull her close to his chest.

“I love weddings,” the Doctor mumbled.

“I do too,” Ariel nodded. “I’ve never actually been to a proper wedding, though. I mean Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were brilliant but I've never had the chance to see a wedding between two people I was friends with. Y'know, two people that have not been dead for centuries,” she chuckled.

“No?” The Doctor frowned, his eyes wide as he glanced down at her.

“Nope,” Ariel shook her head. “You know my Mum never remarried, I’m not that close with any other relatives, and it’s not like I had any older friends with weddings I could see. I’ve only ever seen weddings on tele.”

“Oh, that’s a shame,” the Doctor sighed. “I’m always a crier at weddings.”

“Yeah, you would be,” Ariel giggled. “I think they’re beautiful and I can’t wait to one day plan my own but for now I’ve never experienced a real wedding.”

“Well, let’s see if we can’t chance that,” the Doctor hummed, beaming down at her.

~~~

Ariel and the Doctor walked arm in arm back to the Tardis where Amy and Rory were waiting. “Now then, what about you two, eh?” The Doctor smirked. “Next stop Leadworth Registry Office? Maybe I can give you away,” he hummed.

“Oh, can I be a bridesmaid!” Ariel exclaimed with large eyes. “I get if you want your mates to but I’ve never been to a wedding so that would be really brilliant,” she grinned.

Amy glanced hesitantly at Rory and he just sighed. “It's fine,” he shrugged. “Drop me back where you found me. I'll just say you've-.”

“Stay,” Amy requested, cutting him off before he got the chance to finish. “With us,” she said, nodding to Ariel and the Doctor. “Please. Just for a bit. I want you to stay.”

Rory stared at Amy with wide eyes and glanced at Ariel and the Doctor raising an eyebrow in silent question.

“Fine with me,” the Doctor shrugged.

“You know I’d love it,” Ariel giggled. She thought Rory was brilliant and was more than excited to get to know him.

“Yeah?” Rory prompted with a small smirk. “Yes, I would like that,” he nodded, chuckling softly at the idea of traveling through time and space.

“Nice one,” Amy grinned, kissing Rory soundly. “I will pop the kettle on,” she said, walking up to Ariel’s side and opening the door. “Hey, look at this. We got our spaceship, got our boys. My work here is done,” she smiled.

Ariel chuckled and nodded as Amy headed inside the Tardis. “Nothing more to be said,” she shrugged before heading in after the redhead.

“Er, we are not their boys,” Rory frowned.

“Yeah, we are,” the Doctor sighed, clapping Rory on the back.

“Yeah, we are,” Rory shrugged.

They started to head inside but the Doctor frowned and turned when the busy Venice marketplace suddenly fell silent.

“Rory, listen to that,” the Doctor mumbled.

“Er, what?” Rory prompted. “All I can hear is silence,” he shrugged.

“Exactly,” the Doctor breathed.

Rory frowned and shook his head, marching into the Tardis without raising another question.

“Amy, you should show Rory your room,” Ariel smiled as she marched back into the console room with the redhead.

“Actually, I was thinking I might introduce him to Rufus?” Amy suggested, raising an eyebrow in silent question.

“That works too,” Ariel shrugged. “He loves meeting new people so I’m sure he’ll fall in love with Rory,” she smiled.

Amy grinned and nodded, walking up to Rory to grab his hand.

“Er, who is Rufus?” Rory asked as Amy began dragging him out of the console room and to the garden room.

“You’ll see,” Amy smiled.

“Have you got _another_ bloke in here?” Rory sighed.

Amy giggled and shook her head. “No, just come with me and see,” she insisted.

“Alright,” Rory said, though his voice screamed out his wariness.

Ariel chuckled and shook her head before glancing around the Tardis for the Doctor. Eventually, she spotted him still by the door, staring out into Venice.

She frowned and walked up to him, she ran her fingers through his hair and rested her cheek on the doorframe with a sigh.

“What is it?” Ariel asked, seeing the concern etched across his young face. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know,” the Doctor mumbled. “But whatever it is, it’s not good,” he sighed.

“Well, don’t worry about it right now,” Ariel shrugged. “Come on, Amy and Rory are in the garden room and I wanted to spend some time alone with you.”

The Doctor smiled at her and disregarded the sudden silence of Venice to spend some time with the woman he loved. He closed the door behind them and headed up to the console to send them drifting through space as he usually did before they went to bed.

Ariel walked to his side and leant onto the console, tossing a small smile over her shoulder at the Doctor.

“Did you really mean all that stuff you said in the alley before we met Guido?” Ariel wondered. “About how you didn’t wanna kiss anyone else?”

The Doctor glanced down at her and smiled softly. “Of course,” he sighed.

Really?” Ariel said with large eyes. That meant he didn’t want to kiss River despite them both knowing she was in their future. He didn’t want to kiss anyone even after her human years betrayed her and she was long gone from the world. He was hers and she was his.

“I absolutely mean it,” the Doctor promised, turning to face her.

Ariel gazed up at him with wonder in her eyes. Every second she was with him she was astounded that anyone could love her as much as he did. She was a mess, but somehow she was a mess he wanted.

“I-I feel the same way,” Ariel nodded. “I mean I know I don’t deserve to with a man as brilliant and wonderful as you but I don’t wanna be with anyone else. I don’t wanna be with anyone but you.”

Before Ariel could even look up and see his sheer awe at her words, his hand shot out to the back of her neck, gripping tight and pulling her close before he planted his lips on hers.

He didn’t hesitate. He didn’t brush lightly, fearful of others watching or that she may pull away. They finally had time to themselves and he intended on seizing every second he got.

He nipped her bottom lip, making her gasp, and his tongue surged out to tangle with hers when her lips parted.

He tasted of tea and peppermint and the sweet scent of him swept over her. He smelled of books and freshly cut grass and his kiss promised adventure. She moaned when his hand smoothed over her hip and curled around her back, pressing her to his chest as he began walking her backward until she collided with the nearest flat surface.

Pinned to the wall, she could only kiss him back desperately.

She wrapped her legs around his waist, digging her heels into the bottom of his spine and he used it as an opportunity to pick her up and carry her back to his room.

They never parted for a moment, he continued to snog her relentlessly and she could hardly complain as his lips tasted of pure luxury.

She smiled against his lips as she heard the door being kicked open and slammed shut roughly.

He marched her over to the king sized bed and dropped her on it and she giggled softly as he peeled off his brown suede and crawled up over her.

Her giggles died when he placed his lips against hers and she allowed herself to be completely enwrapped in him.  



	16. The Dream Lord

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have slightly edited this to accommodate for a change made with the Doctor's state in the Leadworth dream. The idea is loosely based off this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFOequ5hlvY

The doorbell rang once again announcing yet another customer and yet another shift for Ariel to take on.

She sighed and tossed a half folded shirt onto the rack. She hated the neverending days at the shop. She wanted more than anything to go across the street to the small café where they served her food without asking too many questions and let her be.

In a place like Upper Leadworth, it was extremely hard to feel comfortable when everybody seemed to know everything about you including your horrifying backstory, but nobody seemed to actually want to be friends with you.

The only person she had was her mother and after she had been fired from the Edinburgh paper for drinking too much on the job and being forced to move back to a small town as it was the only place Ariel could afford to house both of them, Carol Parsons was virtually dead to the world.

She let out a soft sigh of relief when she saw one of her coworkers helping with the customer and decided that if she didn’t go home right then she would be forced to close and she would not stay for the fifth night in a row just so somebody could toss the task they hated most on her again.

She went to pack up her stuff and without having anybody who would care if she disappeared from the store, she simply left. 

Ariel glanced both ways before crossing the street, but it wasn’t as though it was necessary. Upper Leadworth was such a small place there weren’t many who used cars as everything was right there and a town that small wasn’t getting many visitors.

Ariel had to admit, she did like quiet places, but Upper Leadworth was home to deafening silence.

She hurried across the street and into the small café that she had grown to love. 

“Ah, hello, Ariel!” The woman always behind the counter, Beatrice, exclaimed. “The usual, I’m guessing?”

“Yes, please,” Ariel nodded, fumbling around in her bag for money. 

“Y’know, there’s this new bloke. Just moved in,” Beatrice told her as she got the serving of chips for the brunette. “He looks about your age.”

“Thanks, Beatrice, but I don’t need you to set me up,” Ariel sighed. “I’m better off being alone,” she shrugged.

“Oh, that’s a terrible way to think,” Beatrice frowned.

“Alone is what I have right now,” Ariel said simply. “Alone is my norm.”

“Well, maybe you need someone to break that norm,” Beatrice suggested. “Oh, look here is is now!” She exclaimed, grinning up at the new customer as she grabbed a Cola for Ariel.

“Hello,” the man said, grinning at Beatrice.

Ariel turned around to face the man, assuming she wouldn’t be interested until she caught sight of his face.

That was when her jaw dropped.

He was a gorgeous man with floppy brown hair and dazzling green eyes that simply sparkled. When he smiled, Ariel could have sworn her heart skipped a beat.

“Ah,” she breathed, unable to get out a proper word.

The man turned to her with a curious frown and his eyes widened upon the sight of her. Her brown hair, though messy giving away her long and exhausting day at work, was beautiful and her fingers itched to comb it out of her face and cup her beautiful porcelain cheek delicately. Her stormy grey eyes entrapped himself and he found himself incapable of looking away even for a moment.

“Look at you two,” Beatrice chuckled. “Already hitting it off,” she hummed.

“Do-Do I know you from somewhere?” The man breathed.

“No,” Ariel frowned. “At least I don’t think so,” she mumbled.

“May I just- You’re extremely beautiful,” the man complimented.

Ariel blushed bright pink and giggled. “Thank you.”

“Could I buy you a coffee by any chance?” He offered.

Ariel’s cheeks turned even redder as Beatrice placed her serving of chips and her Cola before her. “Ten pound fifty, love,” she said.

“Or, er, perhaps I could pay for the food you’ve already got?” He suggested awkwardly and Ariel giggled.

“That’d be brilliant, thanks,” she smiled.

As he paid for her food, she walked over to a small table and took a seat and he quickly followed, but before he sat down as she expected him to automatically jump to, he stood beside the chair and gestured to it with a raised eyebrow.

“May I?” He prompted.

“Be my guest,” she shrugged.

He nodded his thanks and sat across from her. “So, what’s your name?” He asked.

Ariel laughed and shook her head as he beamed at her. “Er, I’m Ariel. Ariel Parsons,” she introduced, holding out her hand and shaking his.

“Huh, like the mermaid,” the man remarked with a small smirk.

“Wow,” Ariel scoffed. 

“What?” The man frowned.

“Nothing, it’s just,” she sighed softly and hung her head. “I haven’t heard that in a while,” she mumbled. “But never mind me, who the hell are you?” She laughed.

“I’m John Smith,” the man smiled.

“Wow, congratulations on the dead ordinary name, sir,” Ariel nodded.

John chuckled and shook his head. “Thanks, I chose it myself,” he mumbled sarcastically.

“Did you really?” Ariel asked, raising an eyebrow at him. “Because I’ve always sort of admired people who choose their own names. It’s like they’re deciding for themselves who they want to be and how they get to be seen by their world.”

“I didn’t choose it, no,” John shook his head. “In fact, you may think I’m mad when I say this but sometimes I have these dreams that I did choose my name, and I called myself the Doctor.”

“Why the Doctor?” Ariel wondered.

“You don’t think I’m mad?” John frowned. 

“No,” Ariel scoffed. “I get dreams like those all the time,” she shrugged. “I dream that this alien from outer space, who looked human mind you, asked me to run away with him and we fell in love and I found an escape from this rubbish village.”

“Ah, it’s not so bad,” John muttered, glancing around as though he could pick out something redeemable in the small café.

“Really?” Ariel muttered raising an eyebrow at him. She didn’t believe his crude attempt at a lie for a moment. “The nearest city that’s actually interesting is half an hour by car.”

“Okay, it’s pretty bad,” John conceded with a shrug and Ariel laughed. “But, hold on, did you say you dream of a human looking alien traveling with you?” He prompted, her words just beginning to sink in.

“Yeah?” Ariel shrugged. “Why?”

“Because I have had dreams of being an alien from another planet called the Doctor. I don’t remember all the details but I remember I was in love with a girl named after a mermaid.”

Ariel’s eyes inflated and she choked on her Cola. “Tha-That’s gotta be some odd coincidence, yeah?”

“If it is it is a very lucky coincidence,” John nodded.

“But I’ve never seen you before in my life,” Ariel reasoned. “Or have I?” She winced, rubbing her temple at different flashes of memory. “This doesn’t make sense,” she shook her head.

“You’re right,” John muttered, wincing as he felt his brain throbbing with different memories it wanted to shove at him as well. “It doesn’t.”

“How can I have met you there and have met you here for the first time too?” Ariel wondered. “And why does this have to get odd right as I start fancying you?” She sighed.

John chuckled and leaned forward, grabbing her hands and drawing her attention back to him. “I dunno, but we should go to my flat. I have different journals of the dreams there and we can sort this out from then.”

“Is this just some clever ruse to get me to your flat so you can kidnap me?” Ariel wondered.

John laughed and shook his head. “No, but you feel it too, don’t you? Something’s off here.”

“Yeah, but I don’t know if it’s you or something genuinely being wrong,” Ariel admitted.

Before John  could respond, a soft birdsong began floating through the café. 

“Come on, Ariel. Focus on your memories of the Doctor,” John persisted. “Focus on the good ol-.”

There was a flash and suddenly Ariel woke up with a gasp, laying on her back in the Tardis right beside Amy.

“Days. What? No, yes, sorry, what?” The Doctor frowned. He got up and started glancing around curiously, and his eyes widened when they fell upon Ariel who grinned when she spotted him.

They ran to each other and kissed immediately as though they had been parted for ages.

“Oh, nothing changes,” Rory sighed.

Ariel and the Doctor pulled apart and the Doctor brushed a few stray hairs out of her face as he stared down at her, his expression etched with concern.

“Are you alright?” The Doctor mumbled.

“Yeah, but I-er- I had this really weird dream thing,” she mumbled. “I don’t know how to explain it.”

“Er, Doctor, I also had a kind of dream thing,” Rory said, raising his hand like he was in class.

“Yeah, so did I,” Amy nodded, frowning curiously.

Ariel watched the Doctor with wide eyes as he seemed to pale and step back from her. 

“You had the dream too didn’t you?” Ariel breathed.

“A little bit, yes,” he muttered and Ariel raised an eyebrow. “A tiny bit. Okay, maybe the whole bit.”

“You and I were together?” Ariel prompted worrying that they had likely had the same one. 

“Yes,” the Doctor nodded. “And I was,” his eyes widened and he pressed his palm to his chest and huffed out a deep sigh of relief. “Oh, thank God. That was scary.”

Ariel laughed and shook her head, momentarily forgetting that there was cause for concern when she watched his fear of being human.

“But wait, in the dream the two of us were married,” Rory said, nodding to Amy.

“Yeah, in a little village,” Amy nodded and Ariel and the Doctor paled at the mention of a little village.

“A sweet little village, and you were pregnant,” Rory said.

“Yes, I was  _ huge _ . I was a boat!” Amy exclaimed.

“So you had the same dream, then?” Rory frowned. “Exactly the same dream?” He prompted.

“Are you calling me a boat?” Amy gasped.

“Hold on, what little village were you in?” Ariel asked. “What village exactly?”

“I think it was Upper Leadworth,” Rory mumbled. “Why?”

“Because we were in Upper Leadworth,” Ariel said, gesturing to herself and the Doctor who just stared after them entirely shell-shocked. 

“Hold on, you two had identical dreams too?” Amy prompted.

“Yes, but the Doctor was-,” Ariel began.

“Human,” the Doctor shivered. “It was horrifying.”

“Oh, he sure knows how to send out compliments,” Amy scoffed.

“Look, it doesn't matter,” the Doctor shook his head. “We all had some kind of psychic episode. We probably jumped a time track or something. Forget it. We're back to reality now,” he assured them.

Right after he said that, a bird started singing and Ariel was certain in that moment all of their hearts stopped.

“Doctor? If we're back to reality, how come I can still hear birds?” Amy wondered, her voice cracking as she spoke betraying her fear.

“Yeah, the same birds,” Rory mumbled.

“The same ones we heard in the-,” Ariel began and with a flash she woke up in the café beside the Doctor. “Dream,” she breathed. “That was-Did you have that same dream?”

“Amy and Rory?” He prompted.

“In the Tardis?” 

“Yep, exact same one,” the Doctor sighed.

“We have to find them,” Ariel nodded.

“Agreed,” the Doctor said though a piece of him didn’t want to. He may have made fun in the Tardis, but he preferred things they were in this reality, he an ordinary human meeting and falling in love with Ariel as normal people.  He wanted to have the chance to grow old with her rather than watch her get older and be forced to stay the same. 

She was his best friend and for the brief period when they were just two strangers, talking and flirting, it felt like he could be ordinary.

“Doctor!” Ariel exclaimed. The Doctor’s eyes widened as he spun around and spotted Ariel waving him through the door with large eyes.

“Do we have to go?” The Doctor mumbled.

“What do you mean?” Ariel frowned. She walked back over to the Doctor and took a seat beside him. 

“It’s just,” he sighed softly. “Wouldn’t you rather stay here where we can grow old together without worrying about the rest of the universe?”

“You’d want to be human just so you can be with me?” Ariel asked, smiling softly at the very idea.

“Yeah,” the Doctor muttered. “Things would be much simpler if I could just be an ordinary human. We wouldn’t have to worry about the future and thinking about how I might outlive you.”

“Hold on, you’re actually serious? You’d want to stay in this dream just so you could be human and lived some dead ordinary life with me?”

“Of course,” the Doctor shrugged. “I saw the look on your face when I told Rose she could be with a duplicate of myself and grow old with him. I knew you’d want that. After all, don’t you want to settle down someday? Rather just bouncing around all over the place,” he chuckled humorlessly.

“Yeah, sometime in the future,” Ariel sighed. “How long have you been thinking this? Has it been since Bad Wolf Bay?”

“Ariel, I think about this whenever I get into a relationship with a human. I thought it with Rose and it terrified me with you,” the Doctor said. “If we could just stay here and be human there would be nothing to worry about. No cracks in time. No destruction of the universe. Just us.”

“As wonderful as that sounds, Doctor, I didn’t fall in love with John Smith,” Ariel frowned.

“But you fancied him,” the Doctor reminded her. 

“I didn’t fancy him because he was human,” Ariel scoffed. “I fancied him because he was different. He wasn’t dead ordinary like everyone else. He had dreams that set him apart from every other guy. That’s what I like. I like someone who isn’t like every other person I’ve met. Someone like you,” she nodded. “I don’t need to settle down when I can travel across all of time and space with the man I love most,” she smiled. “Plus, I thought he was really cute,” she shrugged.

The Doctor simply laughed and shook his head.

“I know you feel some sort of guilt because you think I’m throwing my life away fro you but I’m really not. Being here only reminds me that if I had never met you, I’d be stuck fending for myself and my Mum, living paycheck to paycheck, and never really living. When I’m with you I can save whole planets and galaxies and spend a lifetime with the first person in a long time that showed me he genuinely cared about me,” Ariel said. “Now, as much as I’d love to sit here and talk to you about this. I honestly think we should try to find Amy and Rory. We can talk as much as we need to once we get this sorted, but for now we have no idea when we’ll fall asleep.”

The Doctor smiled softly and nodded. He knew they had to get going. She was right. They had no idea when they would go back to sleep in this reality. 

He took a deep breath and stood up, nodding to Ariel before they headed out to the village.

“Blimey, it’s quiet,” the Doctor frowned. “Where the hell is everybody?”

“This is busy,” Ariel replied.

The Doctor’s face fell and he glanced down at her with large eyes. Ariel just chuckled and nodded.

“I know,” Ariel giggled. “I didn’t choose it,” she mumbled.

The Doctor smiled softly and wrapped his arm around her, nodding along as they headed through the village to find Amy and Rory. 

Eventually, they spotted the pair sitting on a bench at the edge of a clearing and Ariel’s eyes inflated at the sight of Amy’s pregnant stomach.

“Bloody hell, Amy!” Ariel exclaimed. “Y’know on second thought I’m happy I can’t get pregnant,” she sighed.

“Oi!” Amy snapped.

Rory shook his head and turned from them and Ariel snorted at the sight of his ponytail. “Doctor, what is going on?” Rory asked. “Why are we having the same dreams?”

“Yeah, what’s happening?” Amy frowned. “Is this just some Time Lordy thing?”

“Listen to me,” the Doctor instructed. “Trust nothing. From now on, trust nothing you see, hear or feel.”

“But we’re awake now,” Rory insisted.

“Yeah, and we thought we were awake on the Tardis too,” Ariel nodded.

“But we’re home,” Amy sighed.

“Yeah, you're home. You're also dreaming. Trouble is, Rory, Amy, which is which? Are we flashing forwards or backwards? Or is this some sort of alternate reality?” The Doctor wondered. “Hold on tight. This is gonna be a tricky one,” he hummed.

~~~

Ariel woke up in the Tardis and groaned. She clutched her head and rolled her eyes. The Tardis lurched and the Doctor ran up to the console to try and steady it but the poor machine still seemed uneasy.

“Okay, I’m already beginning to hate this,” Ariel sighed.

“Me too,” Amy nodded.

“Oh, this is bad. I don't like this,” the Doctor muttered. He marched up to the console and kicked it in anger before hopping backwards and clutching his foot. “Argh! Never use force. You just embarrass yourself. Unless you're cross, in which case, always use force,” he huffed, marching down to the lower deck beneath the console.

“That’s a terrible way to think,” Ariel moaned. “That just ends in you getting more injured than just your foot,” she reminded him and he winced at the reminder.

“Shall I run and get the manual?” Amy prompted.

“You can’t,” Ariel shook her head.

“I threw it in a supernova,” the Doctor snapped.

“You threw the manual in a supernova?” Amy frowned, looking between the Doctor and Ariel. “Why?”

“Because I disagreed with it!” The Doctor snapped.

“He thinks he knows more about the Tardis when  _ he  _ was the one who didn’t pass his driving test on Gallifrey!” Ariel reminded him. 

“Stop talking to me when I’m cross!” The Doctor retorted, not bothering to acknowledge the truth behind her words.

Ariel chuckled and rolled her eyes at the Time Lord.

“Okay, but whatever's wrong with the Tardis, is that what caused us to dream about our future?” Rory wondered, gesturing to himself and Ariel.

“If that was your future,” the Doctor nodded.

“Well, of course we were,” Amy shrugged. “We were in Leadworth.”

“Upper Leadworth,” Rory corrected and the other three all rolled his eyes.

“That doesn’t mean it’s the future,” Ariel frowned, shaking her head. 

“Yeah, and we could still be in Upper Leadworth, dreaming of this,” the Doctor agreed. “Don't you get it?”

“No, okay?” Amy sighed, rubbing her temples as she tried to comprehend what the pair were saying. “No, this is real. I'm definitely awake now,” she insisted.

“And you thought you were definitely awake when you were all elephanty,” the Doctor reminded her.

“Oh, I wouldn’t if I were you,” Ariel winced.

“Hey!” Amy snapped. “I. Was. Pregnant!”

The Doctor winced for a moment against her fury before taking a deep breath and nodding to Amy. “And you could be giving birth right now,” he told her. “This could be the dream. I told you. Trust nothing we see or hear or feel. Look around you. Examine everything. Look for all the details that don't ring true,” he instructed.

“Okay, we're in a spaceship that's bigger on the inside than the outside,” Rory sighed.

“With a bow-tie wearing alien,” Amy nodded.

“And his human girlfriend,” Rory frowned. “So maybe what rings true isn't so simple.”

“Fair enough,” Ariel shrugged.

“Valid point,” the Doctor nodded.

All of a sudden, all the Tardis lights switched off and the usual hum of the Tardis fell silent. All that was left was a faint glow from the time rotors.

“It's dead,” the Doctor breathed. “We're in a dead time machine.”

Birds began singing once again and Rory rushed over to Amy’s side to hug her.

“Doctor,” Ariel mumbled. He walked over and wrapped his arms around her as well.

“Remember, this is real,” the Doctor insisted, hugging her tightly to his chest. “But when we wake up in the other place, remember how real this feels.”

“It is real,” Amy nodded. “I know it’s real.”

The bird song plunged them into sleep and they each woke up in Upper Leadworth once again.

A teacher lead a crocodile of schoolchildren past and the church clock chimed as they got their bearings.

“Okay, this is the real one,” Amy nodded. “Definitely this one. It's all solid,” she insisted.

“It felt solid in the Tardis too,” the Doctor reminded her. “You can't spot a dream while you're having it.”

“Well, in our defense most dreams don’t flash in and out of what could be reality every five minutes,” Ariel reasoned.

The Doctor waved his hand in front of his face and Ariel narrowed her eyes at his hand, trying to see what he was also trying to spot.

“What are you doing?” Rory asked.

“Looking for motion blur, pixilation,” the Doctor responded. “It could be a computer simulation. I don't think so, though,” he mumbled.

“Well, what else could it be?” Ariel wondered.

Before the Doctor could answer, an elderly woman walked past and flashed a warm smile at Rory and the Doctor.

“Hello, Doctor,” the woman hummed.

“Hi,” Rory smiled, waving politely at her.

“Hello,” the Doctor said, turning to Rory with wide eyes. “You’re a Doctor.”

“Yeah,” Rory hummed. “And unlike you, I've actually passed some exams,” he chuckled.

“He’s passed his exams,” Ariel nodded. “Granted, most of the proper doctorates were in eighteenth century Paris,” she winced.

“A doctor, not a nurse,” the Doctor observed, not bothering to comment on Rory’s astonishment at his doctorate. “Just like you've always dreamed. How interesting,” he hummed.

“What is?” Rory asked. 

“Your dream wife, your dream job, probably your dream baby,” the Doctor nodded. “Maybe this is your dream,” he proposed.

“It's Amy's dream too. Isn't it, Amy?” Rory prompted, raising an eyebrow at her.

Amy hesitated before nodding, pretending as though she had agreed automatically. “Yes,” Amy said, though her voice cracked when she spoke. “Course it is, yeah,” she shrugged.

Ariel raised an eyebrow at Amy, seeing the blatant lie before her and smirking softly.

She didn’t blame the girl for not wanting to stay in a village that was virtually dead with a man wearing a ponytail.

“What’s that?” The Doctor wondered, jabbing his thumb behind them toward a large building.

“Old people’s home,” Amy shrugged.

They turned and peered at the old people’s home where out of every single window and elderly person was watching them.

“If that isn’t the start to a horror film,” Ariel mumbled.

“How long does everyone here live till?” The Doctor wondered.

“Way through their nineties,” Amy nodded. “That’s sort of what makes this place so brilliant. It’s beautiful and restful and healthy.”

“There's something here that doesn't make sense,” the Doctor frowned. “Let's go and poke it with a stick,” he smiled. He grabbed Ariel’s hand and ran into the old people’s home with Rory following closely behind.

Amy just groaned and stared down at her pregnant belly. “Can we not do the running thing?!” She exclaimed. When she saw there was no stopping the group, she rolled her eyes and waddled after them into the old people’s home.

They headed into the care home lounge and yet another elderly woman flashed a grin at Rory.

“Hello, Rory, love,” she smiled.

“Hello, Mrs Poggit. How's your hip?” Rory asked.

“A bit stiff,” Mrs Poggit winced.

“Oh, easy, D-96 compound, plus-,” the Doctor began but froze when he spotted Ariel’s wide eyes and head shaking furiously.

“Not on Earth yet,” she squeaked.

“Ah, er, forget that,” the Doctor muttered, waving his head to the elderly woman to dismiss the matter.

“Who's your friend?” Mrs Poggit wondered, nodding to the Doctor. “A junior doctor?” She guessed.

Rory’s eyes widened and he seemed all too keen to grab the opportunity before him. “Yes,” he smiled.

“Can I borrow you? You're the size of my grandson,” Mrs Poggit requested.

Ariel giggled and the Doctor looked down at her with large eyes.

“Oh, I, er-,” the Doctor began but Ariel just shook her head and gently pushed him forward.

“Oh, go at it,” Ariel sighed. “She’s only going to knit a sweater round you,” she shrugged.

The Doctor still seemed anxious but knelt before Mrs Poggit so she could place a multicolored sweater over his head. “Slightly keen to move on,” he shrugged. “Freak psychic schism to sort out,” he informed the older woman before narrowing his eyes at her face. He leant forward and entirely invaded her personal space. “You're incredibly old, aren't you?” He mumbled.

Ariel rushed up to his side and watched him with large eyes. “What is it?” She asked.

“Something I can’t put my finger on just yet,” the Doctor sighed.

Before he could begin to elaborate, the birdsong started up again and Ariel groaned softly. They all dropped to the ground, falling asleep for a mere moment before waking up in the Tardis.

“Okay, I hate this, Doctor,” Amy muttered.

“This is like a neverending nightmare,” Ariel winced as she got up from the ground.

“Stop it, because this is definitely real. It's definitely this one. I keep saying that, don't I?” Amy sighed. 

“A bit, yeah,” Ariel nodded.

“It’s bloody cold,” Rory frowned.

“The heating’s off,” the Doctor shrugged.

“The heating’s off,” Rory echoed with a small huff.

“Put on a jumper,” Ariel shrugged. “That’s what I always do. Which reminds me, where is my coat? I thought I left it out here somewhere.”

“Beneath the console floor, in the box where I kept all my old coats,” the Doctor called, barely even looking up at her while he worked on the Tardis.

“Thanks!” Ariel exclaimed as she ran down the stairs to retrieve it.

“Er, yes. Sorry about Mrs Poggit,” Rory apologized, just beginning to recall the events of their last dream. “She's so lovely though,” he shrugged.

“I wouldn't believe her nice old lady act if I were you,” the Doctor hummed.

“What do you mean, act?” Amy frowned.

Before the Doctor could respond, Ariel marched back up to the console room and tossed Amy and Rory some coats.

“Bundle up,” Ariel instructed. “Something tells me it’s only going to get colder. Doctor?” She prompted.

“Everything's off,” the Doctor sighed. “Sensors, core power. We're drifting. The scanner's down so we can't even see out. We could be anywhere. Someone, something, is overriding my controls!” He snapped, slamming his hand down on the console.

Just after he said that, an image flickered and appeared in the console room of a short man in a suit and bow tie just like the Doctor’s.

“Well, that took a while,” the man sighed. “Honestly, I'd heard such good things. Last of the Time Lords, the Oncoming Storm. Him in the bow tie. Even more about you, Miss Parsons,” he hummed and the Doctor pushed Ariel behind him at his words. “You are the girl fated to destroy the universe after all,” he shrugged.

“How did you get into my Tardis?” The Doctor frowned, practically sneering at the man. “What are you?”

“What shall we call me?” The man wondered. “Well, if you're the Time Lord, let's call me the Dream Lord,” he proposed.

“Nice look,” the Doctor remarked, nodding to his bow tie.

“This?” He prompted, picking at his bow tie with a small frown. “No, I'm not convinced,” he shook his head. “Bow ties?” He scoffed.

The Doctor pulled his sonic screwdriver out of his suit and tossed it straight through the Dream Lord. Ariel’s eyes widened at the sight while the Dream Lord just chuckled.

“Interesting,” the Dream Lord hummed. “I'd love to be impressed, but Dream Lord. It's in the name, isn't it?” He shrugged. “Spooky. Not quite there.”

He disappeared from the spot and popped up right behind Ariel. “And yet, very much here.”

“Jesus!” Ariel exclaimed, nearly jumping out of her skin as he appeared directly behind her. He just chuckled and shook his head at the sight of her startlement.

“I'll do the talking, thank you,” the Doctor snapped. “Ariel, Amy, either of you want to take a guess at what that is?” He offered.

“Er, Dream Lord. He creates dreams,” Amy guessed.

“Dreams, delusions, cheap tricks,” the Doctor listed with a nod.

“And what about the gooseberry, here,” the Dream Lord said, nodding to Rory. “Does he get a guess?”

“Er, I’m not the gooseberry,” Rory frowned. 

“Well now, there's a delusion I'm not responsible for,” the Dream Lord scoffed.

“No, I’m not,” Rory shook his head. “Amy, tell him.”

“Oh, Amy, you and Miss Parsons have to sort your men out,” the Dream Lord sighed. “Choose, even.”

“I have chosen,” Amy nodded. “Of course I've chosen.” Rory seemed to falter at her words and Amy rolled her eyes and hit him. “It’s you stupid.”

“Oh, good,” Rory sighed. “Thanks.”

“Oh, I wasn’t just talking about you,” the Dream Lord hummed and Ariel paled. 

“No, what? Course you were,” she muttered.

“You can't fool me. I've seen your dreams. Some of them twice,” the Dream Lord sighed. “Blimey, I'd blush if I had a blood supply or a real face,” he smirked. “Because it seems you’re having difficulty choosing between two faces,” he chuckled and the Doctor frowned as he looked down at her.

“No, I’m not,” Ariel insisted. 

The Dream Lord sighed and popped up mere inches from her face. “Ah, Ariel, we both know you were never a clever liar. The sooner you admit it to yourself, the better.”

“Where did you pick up this cheap cabaret act?!” The Doctor snapped, getting tired of watching him mess around with his girlfriend’s head.

“Me?” The Dream Lord scoffed. “Oh, you're on shaky ground.”

“Am I?” The Doctor prompted, raising an eyebrow at the man.

“If you had any more tawdry quirks you could open up a Tawdry Quirk Shop,” the Dream Lord said, rolling his eyes at the Doctor. “The madcap vehicle, the cockamamie hair, the clothes designed by a first-year fashion student. I'm surprised you haven't got a little purple space dog just to ram home what an intergalactic wag you are,” he sneered. He turned back to Amy, Rory, and Ariel with a soft sigh. “Where was I?”

“You were-,” Rory began. 

The Dream Lord popped up right beside him and rolled his eyes. “I know where I was!” The Dream Lord snapped. “So, here's your challenge. Two worlds. Here, in the time machine, and there, in the village that time forgot,” he spat. “One is real, the other's fake. And just to make it more interesting, you're going to face in both worlds a deadly danger, but only one of the dangers is real. Tweet, tweet. Time to sleep.”

Ariel glanced at the Doctor with pure regret illuminated in her eyes. It was true there had been days when she wished for the last Doctor back. She wished it more than ever after he kissed Amy, but she have never meant for him to learn that.

The birdsong began once again and Amy and Rory quickly dropped while Ariel and the Doctor fought to remain awake.

“I’m sorry,” Ariel breathed before finally succumbing to sleep.

“Oh,” the Dream Lord frowned. “Or are you waking up?” He proposed with a knowing smirk as the Doctor finally dropped to sleep.

They all woke up in the care home and before they could even get their bearings, the Dream Lord marched in donning a suit and tie and some glassed while carrying a bunch of brain scans.

“Oh, this is bad,” the Dream Lord hummed. “This is very, very bad. Look at this X-ray. Your brain is completely see-through. But then, I've always been able to see through you, Doctor,” he smirked.

“Always? What do you mean, always?” Amy frowned.

“You, Miss Parsons, were another case though with time you proved just as seethrough as your other half,” the Dream Lord sighed.

Ariel narrowed her eyes at him. She knew that diction anywhere. The Dream Lord sounded exactly like the Doctor when he was angry. He sounded like the Doctor when the Time Lord owned up to the persona of the man who committed genocide. 

The Dream Lord smiled at her as he noticed her beginning to understand.

“Now then, the prognosis is this,” he sighed. “If you die in the dream, you wake up in reality. Healthy recovery in next to no time. Ask me what happens if you die in reality?” He implored.

“What happens?” Rory wondered and the Dream Lord looked entirely put out that he had actually asked that question.

“You die, stupid,” the Dream Lord spat. “That’s why it’s called reality.”

“Have you met the Doctor and Ariel before?” Amy frowned. “Do you know them? Doctor, Ariel, does he?”

“Now don't get jealous. They’ve been around, our kids,” the Dream Lord smiled. “But never mind that. You've got a world to choose. One reality was always too much for the pair of you. Take two and call me in the morning,” he said before disappearing on the spot.

“Okay, I don’t like him,” Rory sighed.

“Who is he?”  Amy asked.

Ariel frowned and glanced down at the Doctor curiously as he reclined in one of the chairs of the care lounge. She had her suspicions as to who the Dream Lord might be and if she was just beginning to suspect, he probably had a good idea of who it was already.

He met her eyes and slowly shook his head, a silent sign that he wasn’t ready to reveal the identity of the Dream Lord to Amy and Rory yet. She nodded and he sighed softly.

“I don’t know,” the Doctor lied. “It’s a big universe,” he shrugged.

“Why is he doing this?” Amy asked.

“Who knows?” Ariel sighed.

“Maybe because he has no physical form,” the Doctor offered. “That gets you down after a while, so he's taking it out on folk like us who can touch and eat and feel.”

He stood up and just seemed to be noticing that he was still wearing Mrs Poggit’s sweater. Ariel giggled as he tore the sweater off of himself.

“What does he mean, deadly danger, though?” Rory wondered. “Nothing deadly has happened here. I mean, a bit of natural wastage, obviously,” he muttered.

The Doctor stared with wide eyes at the barren care home lounge. The same one that had been filled with elderly people before they went to sleep.

“They’ve all gone,” the Doctor breathed.

“What?” Ariel frowned.

“They’ve  _ all  _ gone,” the Doctor repeated. He grabbed Ariel’s hand and bolted outside and as they ran they could hear Amy groaning loudly behind them.

Directly opposite the care home there was a play area and a ruined castle. In the play area a teacher was trying to keep control of the children while they played.

“Why would they leave?” Rory wondered as they headed to a swing set and Ariel and Amy took seats on the swings.

“And what did you mean about Mrs Poggit's nice old lady act?” Amy asked with a small frown.

“One of my tawdry quirks,” the Doctor smirked. “Sniffing out things that aren't what they seem. So, come on, let's think. The mechanics of this reality split we're stuck in. Time asleep exactly matches time in our dream world, unlike in conventional dreams,” he told them.

“And we're all dreaming the same dream at the same time,” Ariel added with a nod as the Doctor gently pushed her on the swing.

“Yes, sort of communal trance,” the Doctor nodded. “Very rare, very complicated. I'm sure there's a dream giveaway, a tell, but my mind isn't working because this village is  _ so dull _ !” The Doctor bellowed and Ariel giggled and nodded.

Amy inhaled sharply and kneeled forward. “Ooo. Ow. Really. Ow!” Amy cried.

Ariel jumped up out of the swing and the two men ran over to her, appearing entirely terrified about what was about to happen.

“It’s coming,” Amy announced and as the men crowded her, unsure of what to do, Amy tossed a wink at Ariel and the brunette’s eyes widened. She was faking it. Ariel giggled softly and shook her head. Amy Pond was incredible.

“Okay, you're a doctor, help her,” the Doctor gasped.

“You’re a doctor!” Rory reminded him.

“It's okay, we're doctors,” the Doctor nodded. He squatted down to catch the baby and Ariel snorted.

“What do we do?” Rory muttered.

Just then, Amy straightened and her face grew deadly serious while Ariel just laughed at the sight of them. “Okay, it’s not coming.”

“What?” The Doctor faltered.

“This is my life now and it just turned you white as a sheet, so don't you call it dull again, ever,” Amy snapped. “Okay?”

“Sorry,” the Doctor mumbled. 

“Yeah,” Amy nodded.

Ariel giggled and high-fived Amy. “Anyone ever tell you you’re bloody brilliant?” She smirked.

Amy chuckled and grinned at Ariel.

Ariel took a seat back on the swing set and the Doctor took a deep breath before pushing her forward on the swings gently once again.

“Now, we all know there's an elephant in the room,” the Doctor sighed.

“I have to be this size I’m having a baby!” Amy snapped.

“No, no. The hormones seem real, but no,” the Doctor hummed. “Is nobody going to mention Rory's ponytail?” He prompted.

Ariel snorted and shook her head. “I thought I was the only one that notice it,” she mumbled. 

“You two hold him down, I'll cut it off?” The Doctor smiled at Amy and Ariel and the two women laughed while Rory just pouted at the insult.

“This from the man in the bow tie,” Rory muttered.

“At least he can take the bow tie off,” Ariel laughed.

“Bow ties are cool,” the Doctor hummed and Ariel smiled sweetly at the phrase he had already adopted. He marched closer to the play area and narrowed his eyes at Mrs Poggit as she stood watch over the children playing. “I don't know about you, but I wouldn't hire Mrs Poggit as a babysitter. What's she doing? What does she want?” He wondered.

Before any of them could even begin to ask what he meant or try and come up with a response, the birdsong began once again.

“Oh, God,” Ariel moaned.

“Here we go,” Amy mumbled.

They dropped off in the play area and woke up in the Tardis once again.

“Oh, blimey, it’s getting colder,” Ariel winced.

“Have we got any more warm clothing?” Amy wondered, tugging the coat Ariel had given her tighter over her body.

“What does it matter if we're cold?!” The Doctor spat. “We have to know what she is up to!” He snapped.

“Doctor,” Ariel breathed. “Tranquillitas,” she muttered and the Doctor took a deep breath and nodded.

“Sorry, sorry,” he mumbled. “There should be some stuff down there,” he said, gesturing to the small broom closet just beside the corridor leading towards the bedrooms. “Have a look.”

Amy and Rory went to go get some more warm clothing while Ariel stepped up to the Doctor and rubbed his arm.

“We have to talk about it,” she reminded him. “I know you’d rather focus on these deadly dangers than what the Dream Lord said-.”

“It hardly matters,” the Doctor shrugged.

“It does matter,” Ariel insisted with a nod. “Look, I just-I started to miss the way things used t be after you kissed her. I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to be sorry,” the Doctor shook his head. “Just, why didn’t you tell me before?” He wondered.

“I was scared,” Ariel admitted. “I didn’t want to tell you because I was worried you’d be upset. That you’d think I was lying and didn’t like this new face,” she said, cupping his cheek and smiling softly. “I love you and there’s no choice to make,” she mumbled.

“I’m sorry,” the Doctor muttered. “I should have never kissed her,” he sighed. He wrapped his arms around Ariel and pulled her closer to his chest. “I love you too and as much as I’d love to stay here, I have to go to the lower deck and think of some way to get the heating on,” he mumbled.

“I know,” Ariel nodded. It seemed they could hardly get much time alone these days even when stuck in a dream. “I’ll come with you,” she sighed.

She was starting to genuinely like Amy and having Rory around was brilliant, but she wished she could go back and steal just a little more of the time she had with the Doctor traveling alone. She wished she could have at least one more trip or one more journey where it was just the pair of them. 

Ariel loved spending time with the Doctor every second she got and if she could travel with him until they were both grey and old but she knew that was impossible.

The Doctor took her hand and they headed to the lower deck where the Doctor opened a small metal toolkit. Once the toolkit was opened, out tumbled a piece of rope, a bottle opener and a whisk.

“Doctor, do you have any actual tools in here?” Ariel giggled.

“Oh, no now this is something,” the Doctor shook his head as he held up the three items that were decidedly the very opposite of tools.

“We can?” Ariel frowned.

“Yeah,” the Doctor smiled. He shut the toolkit and rushed up to the console and Ariel watched him with wide eyes.

“Okay, if you manage to make something out of that I think I’ll just be even more in awe of you then I already am,” Ariel smiled. She rushed after him to the console room and found him assembling a gizmo out of the items he found. “What are you making?”

“A generator,” the Doctor said. “If I can get this to work then maybe we can get the heating on and figure out where we are.”

“Is it possible that this is just the next deadly danger we have to face?” Ariel wondered.

“It is very possible,” the Doctor nodded. “But for now we still have to face it,” he sighed. He finished assembling the device and grinned. “Ah ha!” The Doctor exclaimed, holding up the gizmo in victory.

“You did  it?” Ariel smiled. 

“Yep,” the Doctor nodded. “Now all we need is to get it attached to the monitor and wind it,” he sighed.

Ariel grinned. “You’re bloody brilliant,” she said and the Doctor chuckled, beaming at her.

He always felt a swell of pride whenever he could make her stand in awe of the simple things he did.

Just then, Amy and Rory walked back in with blankets and the Doctor smiled.

“Ah, Rory, wind,” the Doctor instructed, passing the device to Rory. “Amy, could you attach this to the monitor, please,” he requested.

“I was promised amazing worlds,” Rory sighed as he frowned at the gizmo in his hands. “Instead I get duff central heating and a weird, kitcheny wind-up device.”

“It’s a generator!” Ariel snapped.

The Doctor smiled and chuckled softly. “Now, get winding.”

Ariel checked the scanner and frowned, shaking her head. “It’s not enough,” she said.

“Rory, wind,” the Doctor snapped.

“Why is the Dream Lord picking on the two of you?” Rory wondered. “Why us?”

Luckily, before the Doctor or Ariel could even try to answer, the scanner came to life and Ariel grinned. 

“We’ve got progress!” She exclaimed.

“Where are we?” Amy asked.

The Doctor’s eyes widened as he stared at the image on the scanner, a bright blue burning ball in space.

“We’re in trouble,” the Doctor breathed.

“What is that?” Rory asked.

“A star,” the Doctor sighed. “A cold star.” He marched away from the scanner and to the door, flinging it open to see the burning star right before their eyes. “That's why we're freezing,” he nodded. “It's not a heating malfunction. We're drifting towards a cold sun. There's our deadly danger for this version of reality.”

“So this must be the dream,” Amy frowned. “There's no such thing as a cold star. Stars burn.”

“So’s this one,” the Doctor nodded. “It’s just burning cold,” he shrugged.

“Is that possible?” Rory frowned.

“I think so, yeah,” Ariel nodded. “I remember there was this book about space I read when I was a little girl. It said that when a star is dying it can either be cold or warm and one creates a black hole or one becomes a red giant and does what the sun’ll do which is burn everything.”

“Great, so does this mean we have to worry about crashing into a black hole?” Rory wondered.

“I don’t know,” the Doctor sighed. “I'd say we've got about fourteen minutes until we crash into it. But that's not a problem,” he shook his head.

“Because you know how to get us out of this before it turns into a black hole?” Rory assumed.

“Because we'll have frozen to death by then,” the Doctor refuted.

“Delightful,” Ariel smiled sarcastically.

“Oh, then what are we going to do?” Amy asked, trying not to let the worry enter her voice.

“Stay calm,” the Doctor instructed. “Don't get sucked in to it, because this just might be the battle that we have to lose.”

“Oh, this is so you, isn’t it?” Rory moaned.

“What?” The Doctor frowned.

“Rory-,” Ariel began.

“No, a weird new star, fourteen minutes left to live and only one man to save the day, huh? I just wanted a nice village and a family,” Rory sighed.

“Oh dear, Doctor. Dissent in the ranks,” the Dream Lord hummed, appearing just behind them. “There was an old doctor from Gallifrey, who ended up throwing his life away. He let down his friends and-,” he paused as the birdsong started again and Ariel groaned collapsing onto the controls at the sound. “Oh, no. We've run out of time. Don't spend too long there, or you'll catch your death here,” the Dream Lord shrugged.

With a flash, they appeared back in Leadworth and the Doctor grabbed Ariel’s hand as she woke up before running to the children’s play area.

Rather than children darting across the clearing near the ruined castle there were just piles of dust left behind.

“Where have the children gone?” The Doctor wondered.

“Don’t know,” Rory shrugged. “Play time’s probably over.”

“Then why are these piles of dust left behind?” Ariel mumbled. 

The Doctor ran up to the piles and began searching through the objects discarded beside them.

Meanwhile, Rory continued to try and convince Amy that their happy little life in Leadworth was reality. 

“You see, this is the real one. I just feel it. Don't you feel it?”

“I feel it both places,” Amy mumbled awkwardly.

“I feel it here,” Rory nodded. “It's just so tranquil and relaxed. Nothing bad could ever happen here.”

“Not really me, though, is it? I mean, would I be happy settling down in a place with a pub, two shops and a really bad Amateur Dramatics Society? That's why I got pregnant, so I don't have to see them doing Oklahoma,” Amy sighed. “Doctor, what are you doing? And what are those piles of dust?” 

The Doctor picked up a small toy undoubtedly property of one of the children with large eyes. It had been just under one of the piles of dust telling them that these had not been discarded by the children once whatever created the dust appeared. The piles of dust were in fact the children.

“Play time’s definitely over,” the Doctor hummed.

“What happened to them?” Rory wondered.

The Doctor got to his feet after kneeling before one of the piles and walked over to see the group of old people walking across the street.

“I think they did,” the Doctor mumbled. He grabbed Ariel’s hand and together they began marching in the direction of the group of elderlys with Amy and Rory following closely behind.

“They’re just old people,” Amy reasoned.

“No, they're very old people,” the Doctor sighed. “Sorry, Rory, I don't think you're what's been keeping them alive.”

“Hello, peasants!” The Dream Lord exclaimed, appearing and marching towards the group. “What's this, attack of the old people? Oh, that's ridiculous. This has got to be the dream, hasn't it? What do you think, Amy?” He smirked. “Let's all jump under a bus and wake up in the Tardis. You first,” he said, nodding to Ariel.

“Leave her alone,” the Doctor snapped, pushing Ariel behind him.

“Do that again,” the Dream Lord practically laughed. “I love it when he does that. Tall dark hero.  _ Leave her alone _ ,” he echoed.

“Just leave her,” Rory mumbled awkwardly.

“Yes, you're not quite so impressive, but I know where your hearts lay, don’t I?” The Dream Lord prompted, smirking at Amy and Ariel.

“Shut up. Just shut up and leave us alone,” Ariel snapped.

“But listen. You're in there,” the Dream Lord assured her with a nod. “Loves a brunette, our Doctor,” he said, wrapping an arm around Ariel’s shoulder and smirking at the Doctor. “Did he ever tell you about Elizabeth Taylor?” He wondered. “And while she was married, such a naughty boy,” he clucked, shaking his head at the Doctor who just seemed to burn with anger.

“Drop it. Drop all of it,” the Doctor snapped. “I know who you are.”

“Course you don’t,” the Dream Lord scoffed.

“Course I do,” the Doctor nodded. “No idea how you can be here, but there's only one person in the universe who hates me as much as you do.”

Ariel’s heart sank at his words. If she was right and somehow the Dream Lord was another version of the Doctor, he had just admitted to hating himself more than anybody else in the universe.

The Dream Lord simply smiled at the Doctor’s revelation.

“Am I right, then?” Ariel frowned. “Is he-.”

“Yes,” the Doctor nodded. “He is.”

“Never mind me,” the Dream Lord sighed. “Maybe you should worry about them,” he suggested, nodding to the elderly people still continuing their march to the group. 

The Dream Lord vanished and Rory walked up to the group with a warm smile, still not buying that they caused any sort of threat. 

“Hi. Hello,” Rory nodded.

“Hello, we were wondering where you went. To get reinforcements, by the look of it,” the Doctor observed. “Are you alright? You look a bit tense,” he remarked.

One of the elderly men started marching forward and seemed straight on a course for Rory.

“Hello Mister Nainby,” Rory beamed, unaware of the potential danger the man caused.

“Rory,” the Doctor muttered.

“Rory, don’t,” Ariel warned.

“Mister Nainby ran the sweet shop,” Rory shrugged. “He used to slip me the odd free toffee.”

Mister Nainby marched up to Rory and grabbed him by the collar, lifting him off his feet. “Did I not say thank you?” Rory gasped. Mister Nainby threw him onto the ground into the mud by the swings.

Rory scrambled to his feet and stared at Mister Nainby with large eyes. “How did he do that?!” Rory exclaimed.

“I suspect he's not himself,” the Doctor hummed. “Don't get comfortable here. You may have to run, fast.”

Amy stared down at her pregnant belly and rolled her eyes. “Can’t we just talk to them?” She sighed.

The old people opened their mouths and revealed small green eyes within each of them. 

“That would be a strong no,” Ariel replied, staring at the green eyes in frozen shock.

“There is an eye in her mouth,” Amy gasped.

“There's a whole creature inside her. Inside all of them. They've been there for years, living and waiting,” the Doctor explained.

“That is disgusting,” Rory winced. “They're not going to be peeping out of anywhere else, are they?”

“Way to focus on priorities,” Ariel frowned.

Mrs Poggit released a stream of green fog on the group and they all jumped back letting out cries of shock and fear as they watched the eye spill out green gas.

“Run!” The Doctor cried and Rory took Amy’s hand before bolting away.

Ariel remained where she was and grabbed the Doctor’s hand. The Doctor smiled softly at her before turning his focus to the elderly people, trying to distract them from following Amy and Rory.

“Okay, leave them, leave them,” the Doctor instructed. “Talk to me. Talk to me. Why are you hiding away here? Why aren't you at home?”

“We were driven from our planet by-,” Mrs Poggit began

“Planet by upstart neighbors,” the Doctor nodded.

“So we’ve-,” Mister Nainby started.

“Been living here inside the bodies of old humans for years,” the Doctor sighed. “No wonder they live so long. You're keeping them alive,” he smirked.

“We were humbled and destroyed,” Mrs Poggit told them. “Now we will do the same to others.”

“Okay. Makes sense,” the Doctor nodded.

“It’s the same story we’ve heard thousands of times before,” Ariel frowned. Driven from their own home, forced to find shelter on Earth and now infuriated after having to hide their form and losing their home.

“That’s why it made sense,” the Doctor said. “Credible enough,” he shrugged. “Could be real.”

Just then a paper boy wheeled past them on a bicycle. “Morning,” he waved with a small smile.

Mrs Poggit breathed on him and he dissolved into a pile of dust like the children. 

“You need to leave this planet!” The Doctor snapped.

“We will leave this planet when those who inhabit it are destroyed,” Mrs Poggit said. She turned to Ariel and the Doctor’s eyes widened as he pushed her back.

“Okay, time to run,” the Doctor announced.

“What?!” Ariel exclaimed. 

“Run!” The Doctor cried. He grabbed Ariel’s hand and they ran just as Mrs Poggit lurched forward and tried to release a stream of green gas on Ariel.

They bolted out of the play area and all the elderly’s followed closely behind as they raced down the village lane.

Before they could get far enough, the birdsong began and Ariel clutched onto the Doctor’s outfit and groaned.

“Why does that always start at the worst times?!” She cried.

“He’s messing with us,” the Doctor sighed. “Trying to make us angry.”

“Is he really you,” Ariel frowned, slumping a bit as the drowsiness began to wear down on her.

“Yes,” the Doctor responded. “I don’t know how yet, but yes.”

“But you said he hates you more than anything else in the universe. I knew you hated yourself, Doctor, but is it really that bad?” Ariel sighed.

“As much as I appreciate the concern, I don’t think now is really the time,” he said, glancing over his shoulder at the elderly.

“Oh, I know,” Ariel winced. “Attack of the elderly, that’s a new one. Though I think my Nan had them all beat. I wish you had met her. She was a menace.”

The Doctor glanced at her and smiled softly. He was so lucky to have her. Every time he looked at her he was just filled with more wonder at how he could have been so lucky as to have a human filled with so much love actually deem him worthy of some of that love.

Ariel stumbled as the birdsong grew louder and collapsed into the Doctor’s arms. The Doctor helped her walk into a nearby butcher shop and locked the door behind them, flipping the sign to closed as though that may stop the elderly people.

“Oh, I love a good butcher's, don't you?” The Dream Lord hummed, grinning at the pair from behind the counter. “We've got to use these places or they'll shut down. Oh, but you're probably a vegetarian, aren't you, you big flop-haired wuss.”

“Shut up,” Ariel moaned, placing her forehead on the wall as she fought to remain conscious.

“Oh, I know you’re a vegetarian,” the Dream Lord sighed. “Too scared to get more blood on your hands aren’t you?” He chuckled.

“Do you ever stop talking?!” Ariel cried.

“If you know who I am you’d know well enough to say no, but after all you’re the one who fell in love with that,” the Dream Lord smirked.

“Oh, pipe down,” the Doctor snapped, trying to get the store room door open. “I’m busy.”

“Maybe, you need a little sleep,” the Dream Lord offered.

Ariel and the Doctor both slumped down the wall as the birdsong grew deafeningly loud and their eyelids began to weigh heavy.

“Oh, wait a moment,” the Dream Lord smiled. “If you fall asleep here, several dozen angry pensioners will destroy you with their horrible eye things.”

Ariel fell to the ground, finding it hard to keep her eyes open while the Doctor scrambled back up and tried to get the door open. He grabbed a set of keys on the counter and when the birdsong grew louder, he put his fingers in his ear to try and drown it out.

“Fingers in the ear. Brilliant. What's next, shouting boo?” The Dream Lord scoffed. The elderly began to approach the door and the Dream Lord greeted them with a warm smile. “Come in, come in,” he grinned, waving them through the door.

The old people began to walk through the door and started marching towards Ariel who was already fast asleep on the ground.

“Yes, we've got lots at steak here this week,” the Dream Lord chuckled. “Lots at steak, get it?” He smirked and his smile fell when he saw the Doctor hardly even reacting. “Are these jokes wasted on you?”  He sighed.

The old people began to circle Ariel and the Doctor’s eyes widened. He scrambled up and tried to get through to Ariel. “Wait! Wait! Stop!” He cried.

He dove through the group, uncaring of them breathing on him and turning him to dust, and the Dream Lord  groaned and turned away.

“Oh. Oh, I can't watch,” the Dream Lord moaned.

The Doctor picked Ariel up bridal style and kicked open the door to the store room. He kicked it shut behind them and put a board under the doorknob before finally succumbing to sleep.

He woke up in the Tardis once again between Amy and Rory and the three of them had blankets spread over their bodies.

“Took you long enough,” Ariel moaned, her face a pale blue against the cold. She marched up to them laying in the console room with newly discovered mittens and a hot cocoa. “Here,” she sighed. She sat down beside the Doctor and he wrapped his arms around her, rubbing them against the cold before accepting the drink gratefully.

“Ah, it’s colder,” Amy gasped.

“I got here a few moments before you lot and had just enough time to grab some blankets,” Ariel shrugged.

“The four of us have to agree, now, which is the dream,” the Doctor instructed.

“It’s this, here,” Rory insisted with a nod.

“He could be right,” Amy shrugged. “I’ve never heard the science behind this. Burning ice?”

“No, no,” Ariel shook her head. “I’ve known that since I was little. Ice can burn.”

“It's a big universe,” the Doctor nodded. “We have to agree which battle to lose. All of us, now.”

“Okay, which world do the pair of you think is real?” Amy asked the couple.

“This one,” the Doctor said.

“It has to be this one, right?” Ariel frowned. “In the other, the Doctor is human.”

“That can be just altered memories and a perception filter on me that isn’t definite,” the Doctor said.

“But my Mum is still alive,” Ariel reminded him.

“Did you actually see her in your memory of that world?” The Doctor asked.

“I don’t think so,” Ariel sighed and shook her head. “I those were definite signs that world was fake.”

“Well, I think that world is real,” Rory nodded.

“Course you do,” Ariel scoffed. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Rory frowned.

“That’s a reality where Amy and I never met the Doctor so you’ve got your perfect wife and perfect house,” Ariel sighed. “If that’s real then you get your family and I get left with nothing.”

“Ariel,” Rory mumbled, instantly feeling bad for the brunette.

“Never mind,” Ariel rolled her eyes. She didn’t want people pitying her when their lives were at stake. “How long have we got?”

“Nine minutes till impact,” the Doctor announced.

“What temperature is it?” Amy wondered.

“Outside? Brrr,” the Doctor shivered. “How many noughts have you got? Inside? I don't know but I can't feel my feet and  _ other parts _ ,” he winced.

“I think all my parts are basically fine,” Rory smirked.

“Oh, stop it,” the Doctor rolled his eyes.

Rory picked up the Tardis phone and frowned. “Can’t we just call for help?” He wondered.

“Yeah, because the universe is really small and there's bound to be someone nearby,” the Doctor scoffed, slamming the phone back down.

“Put these on, all three of you,” Amy instructed, handing them each a poncho.

“Oh, ponchos,” Ariel winced.

“Great,” Rory rolled his eyes as he put his poncho on. “The biggest crime against fashion since lederhosen.”

“Ah, here we go,” Amy sighed. “Look at them,” she smiled. “Our boys. Our poncho boys. If we're going to die, let's die looking like a Peruvian folk band,” she shrugged.

“We’re not going to die,” Rory shook his head.

“No, we're not, but our time's running out,” the Doctor sighed as he checked his wristwatch. “If we fall asleep here we're in trouble. If we could divide up, then we'd have an active presence in each world, but the Dream Lord is switching us between the worlds. Why? Why? What's the logic?” He wondered, beginning to pace as he usually did when he was anxious or his brain was too crowded with all his thoughts.

“Good idea, veggie,” the Dream Lord appeared, beginning to pace behind the Doctor. “Let's divide you four up, so I can have a little chat with our lovely companions,” he said, smiling at Amy and Ariel who paled at the idea. “Maybe I'll keep them, and you can have Pointy Nose to yourself for all eternity, should you manage to clamber aboard some sort of reality,” he suggested.

The birds started tweeting for the Doctor and Rory but not for Amy and Ariel.

“Can you hear that?” Rory mumbled to Amy.

“What? No,” she frowned, now fairly uneasy.

“Doctor,” Ariel breathed, turning to him with fear gripping her eyes.

“It’s okay,” the Doctor assured her, cupping her cheeks delicately and clearly trying to stay awake for her. “It’ll be okay. Don’t be scared. We’ll be back.”

He took a step back and slowly laid onto the ground while Ariel continued staring at him, utter terror clenching her heart atb the prospect of being left virtually alone with the Dream Lord. Her fear wasn’t ebbed away with the knowledge that the Dream Lord was the Doctor because while he may be derived from the mind of the Doctor, he wasn’t  _ her  _ Doctor.

The fact that he had noticed subconsciously that she missed his last face tore her to bits and rather than getting the chance to talk to him about it, she had to be taunted about the dreams she had by a much darker version of the man she loved. She didn’t doubt that her dreams had succeeded in making him self-conscious which horrified her. He wouldn’t admit it, but her approval meant a lot and the moment that was taken away, he was left with nothing. He had forgiven her for the moment, but the second they got out of this she needed to explain herself to him. Give him a real apology for lusting after his earlier self. She loved the Doctor as he was then, but there were moments and small changes where she came to miss the man she originally ran away with.

She couldn’t help the thoughts she had from time to time. So much had changed in such a short span of time, it was occasionally hard to keep up and be alright with all the differences. She just wanted  _ something  _ to stay the same.

“Ariel, Amy,” the Dream Lord smirked, unfortunately pulling her out of the safety of her own mind. “We’re going to have fun, aren’t we?”

Ariel and Amy shared an apprehensive glance. This was going to be sheer torture.

~~~

The Dream Lord luckily left them to their own devices for the most part, occasionally popping in every few minutes to take the mickey out of one of them before leaving.

Ariel sighed and her eyes widened as she spotted her breath. “Oh, God, we need to get out of this,” she moaned.

“You’re telling me,” Amy chuckled as she wrapped Rory in another blanket. She paused as Ariel knelt down across from her bundling the Doctor in a blanket as well. “What did he mean?” Amy wondered. “When he said you were having difficulty choosing between two faces.

“Oh,” Ariel sighed, brushing her hair out of her face as she did so. “Erm, you knows the Doctor can change his face right?”

“Yeah,” Amy nodded.

“Well, I was with his last face. That was the Doctor I actually started traveling with and with all these changes happening recently, I sometimes wish I had the last Doctor back.”

“What changes?” Amy asked.

“You traveling with us, for starters. We used to travel with this woman called Donna. She had to forget us but she was one of my best friends, and when the Doctor kissed you I’ve never really had to deal with anything like that before. Donna had always been repulsed by the idea of ever being with him in that way. It was kind of funny,” she smiled. “I guess I just miss the days when all I had to think about was how I was going to tell him some of my biggest secrets.”

“Have you told the Doctor any of this?” Amy wondered.

“No,” Ariel admitted. “I don’t exactly feel proud of admitting I miss his old face when I’m with his new one.”

“You have to tell him,” Amy nodded. “My Aunt always said the basis of a good relationship is just talking to each other,” she shrugged.

“I do talk to him,” Ariel insisted. “I just-I dunno. I feel bad telling him this because he gets self-conscious.”

“Better him self-conscious and in the know then kept in the dark.”

“But when I tried to tell him before he made that generator thing it felt like he didn’t really want to talk about it and anything I tried to say came out all wrong,” Ariel mumbled.

“Then tell him the way you told me,” Amy instructed. “If you tell him like that he’ll have no choice but to listen and maybe even help. I dunno, maybe you two could go on trips on your own to respark the kindle,” she suggested and Ariel burst out laughing.

“That’s an idea,” Ariel giggled. She turned to look down at the Doctor and sighed as she brushed some of his floppy brown hair out of his face.

“What are we gonna do with them?” Amy wondered, smiling softly down at Rory’s sleeping form.

“No idea,” Ariel admitted with a shrug.

“Yes, what to do, what to do,” the Dream Lord hummed, appearing right beside them.

Both women rolled their eyes and turned away. The Dream Lord just smirked and popped up beside Ariel as she stared down at the Doctor. 

“Poor Ariel,” the Dream Lord pouted. “He always leaves you, doesn't he, alone in the dark. Never apologises.”

“He doesn’t have to,” Ariel mumbled. And it was true. He didn’t. He had his reasons for what he did and he knew when to apologize. When he left her on her own, it was usually for a good reason and he always felt terrible about it afterward. She would never ask for an apology from that.

“That's good, because he never will,” the Dream Lord nodded. “And now he's left the two of you with me. Spooky old, not to be trusted me. Anything could happen,” he smirked.

He disappeared and reappeared on the jumpseat in a revealing outfit with a smug grin.

Ariel rolled her eyes and turned away and Amy just winced at the sight.

“Who are you, and what do you want?” Amy asked.

“Oh, why don’t you ask Miss Parsons over here?” The Dream Lord suggested. “Did you really think the Doctor was the only one who knew who I was?” He prompted with a victorious grin as Amy’s eyes widened and Ariel paled. “No, Ariel has been keeping this secret locked up tight for him, haven’t you Ariel?” 

The Dream Lord disappeared and reappeared in the suit and bow tie directly behind Ariel.

“Why don’t you share the information with the class?” He implored. 

“Shut up,” Ariel snapped, shaking her head at the man. “If the Doctor doesn’t want to tell then it’s not my place.”

“Oh,” the Dream Lord chuckled. “You’d do anything for him, wouldn’t you?”

He disappeared and reappeared kneeling before the Doctor. “Your Doctor. Oh, you’d kill to save him. You have killed to save him if my memory serves me right,” he frowned and Amy’s eyes inflated at his words.

“But do you ever wonder how this is going to end?” The Dream Lord prompted. “Our dear Doctor doesn’t like endings. What’s he going to do when you start getting old and grey?” He implored.

“I don’t care,” Ariel shook her head. “I don’t care if he wants to leave. I don’t care if he gets scared and brings me back to Earth to die because I love him now. That’s all that matters to me.”

“Oh, she’s a brave one,” the Dream Lord hummed. “Could we say the same about you, Amy? Maybe, that’s just the reason you would choose a bumbling country doctor who thinks the only thing he needs to be interesting is a ponytail over the handsome hero. Loving and losing the Doctor is sometimes just too great of a risk,” he sighed and with that he disappeared.

“I hate him,” Amy sighed.

“Can’t blame you,” Ariel chuckled. 

“Do you really know who he is?” Amy frowned.

“Yeah,” Ariel nodded. “But while I know him pretty well, he’s still closer to the Doctor so it’s up to him to tell you lot who he is.”

Amy nodded. “Why does he hate the Doctor so much?” She wondered.

Ariel frowned, unsure of how to answer a question about why the Doctor hated himself so much. Eventually, she sighed softly and shook her head.

“I don’t know if I can answer that,” Ariel admitted.

“Okay, but does he hate you?” Amy asked.

“No,” Ariel shook her head. “He’s just sort of frustrated by me. His taunts don’t really work because no matter what he says to me or whatever he tries to do, I love the Doctor.”

She knew this for a fact even when the Doctor turned dark. When the Doctor was not himself, he always seemed irritated by Ariel because no matter what he said or did she always stayed. He had never found someone like that before and it confused the hell out of him when he wasn’t himself. The situation wasn’t any different with the Dream Lord.

Ariel frowned as birdsong began echoing in her head. Amy’s eyes widened as she began to hear it too.

“Grab the blankets!” Ariel called. “We don’t know how long we’ve got left in this reality.”

Amy nodded and darted to the large pile of blankets they had. She tossed half of them to Ariel and the brunette divided them amongst herself and the Doctor. Amy grabbed the rest of them and did the same between herself and Rory. 

They laid down on the console floor side by side and Ariel sighed as she turned to Amy.

“Good luck,” Ariel mumbled.

“Good luck,” Amy nodded, smiling softly at the girl before they both drifted off to sleep once again.

In a flash, Ariel gasped as she woke up in the passenger seat of a speeding van.

“Oh, thank God,” the Doctor moaned. He was worried he would have to try and stop the old people on his own, and he knew for a fact he couldn’t do that without Ariel by his side.

“Oh God, my head,” Ariel mumbled.

“How bad is it back in the Tardis?” The Doctor wondered.

“Pretty bad,” Ariel nodded. “But Amy and I gathered as many blankets as we could.”

“No, I meant with-,” the Doctor said, nodding to her and knowing she would be able to complete his thought.

“Oh, the Dream Lord,” Ariel sighed. “He tried messing with us, but Amy and I basically have our mind’s made up.”

“And what did you decide?” The Doctor wondered, trying not to allow the tone of anxiety to creep into his voice.

“I chose you, Doctor,” Ariel smiled. “I’ll always choose you,” she assured him with a nod. “When this is all over and done I’ll try to explain why I  _ occasionally _ wanted your other self,” she promised him.

Just then the Dream Lord appeared in the backseat and Ariel groaned.

“Didn’t I get rid of you?” Ariel sighed. 

“Not just yet, love,” the Dream Lord smiled. “It's make your mind up time in both worlds,” he announced.

“Fine. We need to find our friends,” the Doctor mumbled.

“Friends?” The Dream lord echoed. “Is that the right word for the people you acquire? Friends are people you stay in touch with. Your friends never see you again once they've grown up. The old man prefers the company of the young, does he not? I’m sure Ariel is evidence enough of this,” he smirked.

“Oh, just shut the hell up!” Ariel snapped. “Leave us be! We’re playing your stupid game what else do you want?!”

The Dream Lord’s eyes widened and at Ariel’s words, he disappeared.

The Doctor smiled softly and grabbed her hand. “I love you,” he told her and Ariel grinned.

“I love you too,” she nodded.

The Doctor droved up to the cottage Amy and Rory resided in and his face fell when he saw the onslaught of elderly people outside using whatever means necessary to try and get inside.

“Okay,” the Doctor sighed.

“How are we gonna do this?” Ariel wondered, frowning at the Doctor.

“Are you up for a climb?” The Doctor smirked and Ariel grinned.

~~~

The Doctor shoved the window open and held out his hand to Ariel. She took it gratefully and they both tumbled into the second story window of the cottage.

“Sorry,” the Doctor sighed. “We had to stop off at the butcher's.”

“What are we going to do?” Rory asked.

“I don’t know,” the Doctor confessed.

“Oh!” Amy exclaimed “I think the baby’s starting!” She cried as she clutched her stomach.

“Honestly?” Rory prompted, his eyes growing wide and extremely fearful at the fact that they may have to deliver a baby while being attacked by old people.

“Would I make it up at a time like this?!” Amy yelled.

“She’s got a point, Rory,” Ariel nodded.

“Well, you do have a history of-,” Rory began and was interrupted by a dirty look from Amy. “Being very lovely,” he finished awkwardly. There was the sound of something loud slamming on the house right beside the window and Rory groaned. “Why are they so desperate to kill us?!” He cried.

“They're scared. Fear generates savagery,” the Doctor explained quickly.

A small gnome was tossed through the window, shattering the glass and landing on the floor of the nursery they were in.

Rory stood up to get a better look at the window and was breathed on by Mrs Poggit before he could turn away.

“Oh, my God,” Ariel gasped as Rory went staggering backwards into Amy’s arms.

The Doctor jumped up and grabbed a lamp. He hit Mrs Poggit in the face with it and sent her tumbling off the front of the house.

“No, I’m not ready,” Rory breathed as his left arm slowly began dissolving into a pile of dust.

“Stay,” Amy requested.

Rory’s body was mostly dissolved into dust after her request. He looked to Amy with a soft smile. “Look after our baby,” he mumbled just before his entire body turned to dust.

Ariel stood up and wrapped her arms around the Doctor’s waist, burying her face into his chest. She couldn’t imagine losing him permanently and watching Amy and Rory just reminded her of that fact. Sure they’d both had their slipups but at the end of the day it was always the two of them. She knew that for a fact.

“No. No” Amy muttered, her bottom lip trembling at the sight of the piles of dust where the man she had loved once sat. “Come back,” she whispered. She looked up at the Doctor and Ariel and took a deep breath. “Save him. You save everyone. You always do. It's what you do.”

“Not everyone,” Ariel shook her head.

“Not always,” the Doctor sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“Then what is the point of you?” Amy sneered. She gently brushed the pile of dust and closed her eyes. Sht got up and turned to the couple with newfound determination in her eyes. “This is the dream,” she nodded. “Definitely this one. Now, if we die here, we wake up, yeah?”

“Unless we just die,” the Doctor reminded her.

“Either way, this is my only chance of seeing him again,” Amy shrugged. “This is the dream,” she insisted.

“How do you know?” The Doctor wondered.

Amy opened her mouth to respond but Ariel paused her.

“I think I can explain,” she said. “If I died in one of these realities-,” she began.

“No,” the Doctor shook his head automatically.

“Doctor, if I died, what would be your first thought?” Ariel implored.

“It’s not real,” the Doctor shook his head. “It’s not- it can’t be real,” he reasoned and Ariel nodded, smiling softly at him. 

“Exactly,” she grinned, wrapping her arms around his waist. He let out a soft sight and wrapped his arm around her.

“She’s-She’s right,” Amy nodded. “If this is real life, I don't want it. I don't want it,” she insisted, her voice cracking as she spoke.

“I understand,” Ariel nodded. “Let’s go,” she said. They marched out of the house through the front door and all of the elderly people were completely still in their presence. Though the sight unnerved Ariel and the Doctor, it just further infuriated Amy.

“Why aren’t they  _ attacking _ ?!” Amy roared. 

“Either because this is just a dream or because they know what we're about to do,” the Doctor sighed.

Amy spun around and held out her hand for the key to the camper van the Doctor and Ariel had driven there in.

“Be very sure. This could be the real world,” the Doctor reminded her.

“It can't be. Rory isn't here,” Amy mumbled.

“Doctor,” Ariel breathed. “Give her the key,” she instructed.

The Doctor took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay. Okay.” He dropped the key into Amy’s palm and the redhead marched into the driver’s side of the van.

Ariel made to move into the passenger seat but the Doctor pulled her away and shook his head. “If this is real life I’m not giving you a first class seat to your own death.”

“But-,” Ariel began.

“I can’t sit back there and watch as you die,” the Doctor said, his voice cracking as he spoke.

“And you think I can?” Ariel scoffed. “Reminder that I’ve already had to watch you die twice since we’ve been together. I really don’t wanna make it a third,” she hummed.

“Alright,” the Doctor sighed and nodded. “Alright we get into the backseat together.”

“Alright,” Ariel smiled and crawled into the back with him.

“I love Rory, and I never told him. But now he's gone,” Amy sighed as she started the engine. She revved it before taking a deep breath and speeding the van right towards the cottage. 

Ariel grabbed the Doctor’s hand and gripped tightly as they sped into the cottage and the world faded to black.

When color returned, Ariel was sure every inch of her body was covered in ice. Her eyes struggled to open but when they did, they found the Doctor’s bright green ones smiling at her. 

Ariel grinned and reached out to take his hand in hers. He squeezed her hand three times tightly.

“So, you chose this world,” the Dream Lord sighed. “Well done. You got it right. And with only seconds left. Fair's fair. Let's warm you up.” 

He restored the Tardis and all the lights turned back on. 

“I hope you've enjoyed your little fictions,” the Dream Lord smirked. “It all came out of your imagination, so I'll leave you to ponder on that. I have been defeated. I shall withdraw. Farewell,” he said, and with that he disappeared.

“Something happened. I. What happened to me? I-,” Rory stammered and rather than answering him, Amy sat up and pulled him into a tight hug. “Oh. Oh, right. This is good. I am liking this. Was it something I said? Could you tell what it was so I can use it in emergencies, and maybe birthdays.”

Ariel smiled softly at them and accepted the Doctor’s hand to help her get up gratefully. 

“Doctor, there’s something else,” Ariel frowned. “In that other world, I didn’t really have any concrete memories. I think I was just given enough to understand life there which usually happens in dreams and I understand, but I don’t have any memories leading up to here either. I don’t remember getting up this morning and I don’t really remember anything after we went to bed except just showing up here.”

The Doctor’s eyes widened as he processed her explanation. He didn’t have any memories before just showing up in the console room either.

“It’s a dream,” the Doctor breathed.

“Could it be?” Ariel frowned. “Could they really both be-?”

“He doesn’t have any control over the real world. They have to be dreams,” the Doctor nodded.

“Okay, then what should we do?” Ariel wondered.

The Doctor simply smirked at her as he began directing the frosted over controls on the console.

“What are we doing now?” Amy asked.

“Oh, me?” The Doctor smiled. “I'm going to blow up the Tardis.”

“What?” Rory gasped.

“Notice how helpful the Dream Lord was?” The Doctor reminded them. “Okay, there was misinformation, red herrings, malice, and I could have done without the limerick. But he was always very keen to make us choose between dream and reality,” he nodded.

“Are you okay with this?” Rory frowned at Ariel.

“Yeah,” Ariel nodded. “This isn’t real either.”

“The Dream Lord conceded,” Rory sighed. “This isn't a dream,” he shook his head.

“Yes, it is,” the Doctor hummed. “The Dream Lord has no power over the real world. He was offering us a choice between two dreams.”

“How do you know that?” Amy wondered.

The Doctor tossed a sloppy smirk over his shoulder at Ariel and she just giggled.

“Because I know who he is,” the Doctor sighed and with that he flicked the last control necessary to make the Tardis explode.

~~~

Ariel waltzed out the corridor donning one of the Doctor’s shirts and a small pair of shorts alongside Amy and Rory who were likely returning from their own room.

The Doctor stood in the centre of the console room with something in his hand.

“Any questions?” The Doctor prompted.

“Er, what’s that,” Amy asked, gesturing to a small yellow speck in his palm.

Ariel marched over to the Doctor’s left side and smiled as he draped his arm over her shoulders before answering Amy.

“A speck of psychic pollen from the candle meadows of Karass don Slava,” he explained. “Must have been hanging around for ages. Fell in the time rotor, heated up and induced a dream state for all of us,” he sighed.

He tapped Ariel’s shoulder and she stepped to the side so he could walk up to the doors and blow the pollen out into space. Once it was gone, he closed the door and walked back to Ariel’s side, wrapping his arm around her once again.

“So that was the Dream Lord then?” Rory guessed. “Those little specks.”

“No, no. No. Sorry, wasn't it obvious? The Dream Lord was me. Psychic pollen. It's a mind parasite. It feeds on everything dark in you, gives it a voice, turns it against you. I'm nine hundred and seven. It had a lot to go on,” the Doctor shrugged.

“But why didn’t it feed on us, too?” Amy wondered.

“Yeah, especially me,” Ariel added with a small frown.

“The darkness in you pair, it would've starved to death in an instant,” the Doctor sighed at Amy and Rory. “I choose my friends with great care. Otherwise, I'm stuck with my own company, and you know how that works out,” he smirked, hugging Ariel close to his chest. “And as far as you are concerned, you might have darkness in you but it’s nothing compared to my own and the kindness in you overwhelms that by a million.”

Ariel’s cheeks pinkened and she giggled delightfully at the Doctor’s words. She always loved when he managed to look past all the bad in her. For so long she had been terrified he wouldn’t be able to and now every day that he did was like heaven.

“But those things he said about you,” Amy remembered. “You don't think any of that's true?”

Ariel’s face fell when she looked up at the Doctor’s reaction, riddled with conflict at Amy’s question.

“Amy, right now a question is about to occur to Rory,” the Doctor said, entirely disregarding her words. “And seeing as the answer is about to change his life, I think you should give him your full attention,” he smiled.

“Yeah,” Rory frowned. “Actually, yeah,” he nodded.

“There it is,” the Doctor said, turning back to the controls.

“Actually, there’s some stuff we need to talk about to,” Ariel mumbled.

“I know,” the Doctor nodded, not meeting her gaze but understanding. “Next chance we get?” He offered.

“Alright,” Ariel conceded. “But you know I’ll pester you about it,” she warned him.

“I wouldn’t imagine anything else,” the Doctor chuckled.

“What I don't get is, you blew up the Tardis, that stopped that dream, but what stopped the Leadworth dream?” Rory wondered.

“We crashed the camper van,” Amy mumbled, fidgeting anxiously in the face of his question and what it would reveal.

“Oh, right. I don't remember that bit,” Rory frowned, shaking his head at her.

“No, you weren't there,” Amy murmured. “You were already,” she hesitated.

“Already what?” Rory prompted.

Amy winced and glanced back at the Doctor and Ariel. The Doctor was distracted by the Tardis, but Ariel was watching them with a large grin as though her favorite TV show couple was about to get together. She nodded the redhead on and Amy took a deep breath before meeting Rory’s eyes again.

“Dead. You died in that dream. Mrs Poggit got you,” Amy told him.

“Okay,” Rory nodded. “But how did you know it was a dream? Before you crashed the van, how did you know you wouldn't just die?” He wondered.

“I didn’t,” Amy confessed.

“Oh,” Rory sighed.

“Yeah,” Amy nodded.

Rory’s eyes inflated as he realized the true weight of what that meant and how much Amy was willing to risk just to see him again. “Oh,” he gasped.

“Yeah, oh,” Amy smiled.

Rory kissed Amy and Ariel beamed at the pair of them. They were so good together, they deserved to be happy.

“So, well then, where now?” The Doctor wondered. He noticed Amy and Rory were still pressing their foreheads against each other and seemingly enwrapped in their moment together. “Or should we just pop down to the swimming pool for a few lengths?” He offered.

“I don't know,” Rory shrugged. “Anywhere's good for me. I'm happy anywhere. It's up to Amy this time. Amy's choice,” he hummed.

The Doctor smiled and began fiddling with the controls once again. He glanced over at Ariel as she plopped down into the jump seat and frowned.

“Is that my shirt?” He asked.

Ariel’s eyes widened as she looked down at her attire, a bright pink blossoming across her cheeks. “Maybe,” she mumbled.

The Doctor grinned. He walked over to her and pressed a sweet kiss against her lips. “You look gorgeous,” he breathed and Ariel smiled, kissing him quickly once more before letting him return to the controls and take them to their next destination.


	17. The Wedding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just a quick chapter that I tried to make long before eventually accepting the loss of to explain a few things in 'Amy's Choice' and cross over into 'The Hungry Earth'
> 
> For the sake of this plotline and avoiding my own ick factor, the Doctor is not nor has he ever been married to Elizabeth the First. They dated but it didn't go beyond that.

Ariel sighed as she sat in her spot, peering out over planet Earth while her legs dangled just outside the Tardis.

“We’re back to this are we?” The Doctor chuckled from just behind her.

Ariel grinned over her shoulder at him and the Doctor beamed at her, his hearts skipping a beat at her grin. Almost two years with her and her smile still managed to stop him in his tracks.

He took a seat beside her and sighed.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Ariel confessed.

“You’ve been doing well for a while,” the Doctor frowned. “What happened?”

“I kept thinking about the dreams,” Ariel said. “It started out with both of us in Leadworth. I was dropped there because in the dream I had never met you and I had to fend for myself and my Mum. I get that. That bit came from my own conscious. But then you appeared and you were human,” she remembered.

“Yeah,” the Doctor frowned.

“You wanting to be human came from your own conscious. You wanted to meet me and have a normal relationship with me when I was human, I get that. But why did the Dream Lord try to trick us into thinking that was a reality if you were human?” She wondered.

“Because at one point when I was traveling with Martha, we ran into this museum about me where my memory was wiped and I forgot I was the Doctor for a while until she helped me remember. He would have known that and with a simple perception filter two beats can appear as one,” the Doctor explained. 

“Okay, so he just wanted you to assume your memory had been wiped and gave you one heartbeat to mess with you?” Ariel guessed.

“Basically,” the Doctor nodded. “You’ve gotta remember he was the dark parts of me. That means he’d know how to upset me by temporarily making me think I was just some ordinary human that could be with you.”

“So, he did that just to hurt you,” Ariel sighed. “That’s horrid.”

“Well, he wasn’t the best parts of me,” the Doctor chuckled humorlessly.

“Okay, so, getting that bit,” Ariel nodded. “But when he mentioned I had trouble choosing between faces-,” she began.

“You don’t have to-,” the Doctor started, shaking his head. 

“No, but I want to,” Ariel insisted. “I’ll admit. There have been times where I dreamed about your last face. It was usually because I was overwhelmed. Amy’s here now and she kissed you and I don’t blame either of you for that anymore but it still freaked me out. Then we have the whole thing with River and what’s still waiting for us and I started to miss the times when it was just you and me or when I only had to worry about telling you about my Dad and Ross,” she confessed. “I’m not missing a different face and I adore the one you have. I’m just missing a different time,” she sighed. “I just wish everything didn’t have to change.”

“Everything has changed,” the Doctor nodded. “Except for us,” he said, turning to her with a soft smile. “Through everything I will always be here for you.”

Ariel grinned and looked away, not bothering to acknowledge the flip in her tummy or the way her heart soared out of her chest at his words.

“I’m scared,” she confessed. “I’m scared of what else is gonna be dumped on us and I’m terrified of the future,” she admitted.

The Doctor smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to him. “That’s okay,” the Doctor nodded. “I’m scared too,” he confessed. “But it’ll be alright.”

“How can you know for sure?” Ariel wondered.

“Because whatever happens, we won’t be facing it alone,” the Doctor smiled and Ariel beamed up at him.

“Even still,” Ariel sighed.

“Did he say something to upset you?” The Doctor wondered.

“No, er, nothing I couldn’t handle,” Ariel assured him with a small shrug. “I just don’t wanna sleep alone tonight. Could-Could I sleep with you?” She wondered.

“Sure,” the Doctor smiled.

“Thanks,” Ariel grinned. She rested her head on his shoulder and just as the Doctor moved to get up she grabbed his hand. “Please can we just-can we stay a bit longer?” She asked. “I miss nights like this.”

The Doctor smiled softly and ran his fingers through her hair delicately as he nodded. “Of course,” he sighed. “Would you like to go somewhere?” He proposed.

“Where?” Ariel wondered with a small frown.

“Wherever you’d like,” the Doctor smiled. “Though I get the feeling you’d like to go back along the royal line again.”

“Well, I was always interested in meeting Anne Boleyn,” Ariel giggled.

“Anne Boleyn in is!” The Doctor exclaimed. He jumped up and ran to the controls while Ariel just spun around and closed the door. “Though we have to be sure not to run into Henry VIII,” the Doctor winced. “He’s not too fond of me.”

“I don’t think Henry VIII was too fond of anybody at the end of it all,” Ariel frowned. 

“Fair point,” the Doctor chuckled, shrugging slightly. “Let’s try and catch them round their wedding night. He should be happy then even if he does see me.”

“Yeah, let’s not make the mistake of getting there when Elizabeth the First is born,” Ariel winced. “Blimey, was he not happy that night.”

“Ah, he was far too focused on getting a baby boy anyway,” the Doctor dismissed with a wave of his hand.

“He was probably obsessed with it because he was a pompous monarch and any woman would be mad if she chose to sleep with him and fell in love. Have you seen the paintings?” Ariel prompted.

“He wasn’t the most attractive bloke, no,” the Doctor mumbled. “Regardless, Anne Boleyn was brilliant,” he smiled. “So, we’ll go for her.”

Ariel nodded and walked up to him, pulling him into a quick hug and kissing his cheek before rushing up to the small staircase leading up to the corridor. “I’m gonna go get changed!” She called over her shoulder.

He smiled and nodded as she ran to the wardrobe to find some proper clothes. She missed going on private trips with the Doctor greatly and she was so excited to have the opportunity once again.

Once she got changed into a light blue floor length gown she tied her hair up and headed out to greet the Doctor.

“I just realized, we’re going to bring a bright blue shining police box out into the sixteenth century,” Ariel frowned as she walked down the steps to the Doctor. “Don’t people ever question it? I mean, it does stand out after all.”

“Ah, people don’t really care,” the Doctor shrugged as she looped her arm though his. “I usually land when they’ve got bigger things to worry about than an odd police box.”

“Fair enough,” Ariel shrugged. “But are we really here? Are we really at their wedding?” She smiled.

“Step outside and see,” the Doctor instructed with a large grin.

Ariel squealed and darted forward to find them just outside the Palace of Whitehall. “I’m so excited,” she beamed.

“Well, let’s go,” the Doctor chuckled. “I highly doubt they’ll hold the wedding for us.”

“Though that would be brilliant,” Ariel nodded. She looped her arm through the Doctor’s and they headed out. “I still don’t count this as having seen a real wedding, by the way.”

“Why not?” The Doctor frowned, pausing only momentarily to flash his psychic paper at one of the guards outside claiming it was an invitation. They were nodded inside and went to find a place to watch the wedding.

“Because, we’re gate crashing on the wedding of two historical figures we don’t know and they’ve been dead for centuries,” Ariel moaned. “This isn’t a proper wedding to me this is just a day trip.”

“But they’re still getting married,” the Doctor insisted.

“Yeah, and I know that their marriage ends with her getting her head cut off,” Ariel murmured, making sure to keep her tone hushed so nobody heard her but the Doctor.

“A wedding is a wedding,” the Doctor shrugged. “That’s how time travel works. We can go to the christening of Elizabeth the 1st one day and got to her funeral the next.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t care,” Ariel sighed. “If we were to watch Amy and Rory’s wedding that is something I’d count. We know them. They haven’t been dead since my birth and we’re not just sneaking in to watch for the day.”

“Fair enough, I suppose,” the Doctor shrugged.

The organs started playing and the Doctor gripped Ariel’s hand tightly, straightening as Henry VIII entered.

Ariel winced at the sight of him. “How he got six women to sleep with him is beyond me,” she sighed.

“He made it against the law for them not to,” the Doctor shrugged.

Ariel giggled, but quickly covered her laughter so nobody presumed her to be laughing at the King. That was an easy way to get beheaded on what was supposed to be a nice trip.

“I suppose when you’re King it does make it easier to get anyone and everyone to want to be with you no matter appearances,” Ariel sighed. “But even looking past appearances he was a rubbish human being. He made Anne Boleyn scared out of her wits when she miscarried as far as I remember.”

“Well, like I said, when you’re the King you’ve got certain perks,” the Doctor shrugged.

Just then, Henry’s bride to be started walking in but the woman marching in was not Anne Boleyn. Rather than dark hair, she had blonde and a soft smile graced her lips as she walked down the aisle to the man she was marrying.

“Er, Doctor?” Ariel mumbled.

The Doctor winced as he watched the blonde haired woman join Henry. “Yeah?” 

“Did you check the year on the Tardis before we walked out?” Ariel asked.

“Not exactly,” the Doctor sighed.

“So, this is not the wedding of Anne Boleyn to Henry VIII,” Ariel assumed based on the fact that the woman standing beside Henry was decidedly  _ not  _ Anne. 

“Not exactly, no,” the Doctor mumbled.

“Then who is he marrying?!” Ariel exclaimed, fighting hard to keep her voice hushed despite her surprise and anger.

“I believe that is Jane Seymour,” the Doctor muttered.

“Oh, great, so we hit the point in time where Anne Boleyn has been dead for- what was it like ten days?” Ariel frowned.

“Eleven,” the Doctor corrected with a nod. 

“Blimey, he moved on fast,” Ariel sighed.

“Well, to be fair Anne was imprisoned for the end half of her life,” the Doctor shrugged. “But never mind that,” he shook his head. “Do you still want to meet Anne Boleyn?”

“I do!” Ariel cried, forgetting to lower her voice in that moment to the astonishment of the crowd.

Everyone gasped and stared at her with wide eyes and even the ceremony seemed to stop at Ariel’s words.

“What just happened?” Ariel mumbled.

Scandalized whispers echoed across the Palace and the Bishop seemed to fumble with his Bible, unsure of how to proceed.

“Yes, ma’am,” the Bishop nodded, deciding to just go along with whatever was happening. “So thou will have Henry to be thy wedded husband.”

“ _ What _ ?!” Ariel exclaimed, her jaw dropping to the ground at the words of the Bishop.

“Henry, will thou have- Miss, what is thy name?” The Bishop prompted.

“Er, I, uh, Ariel,” Ariel answered and her eyes grew wide as she realized what she had done.

The Doctor turned to her with large eyes and she winced.

“I’m sorry!” Ariel exclaimed, clapping her hand over her mouth and cursing her anxiety speaking before she could even think.

“I do?” Henry said, more of a question than a marriage vow.

Ariel shrieked and the Doctor grabbed her hand. “We need to get out of here,  _ now _ ,” the Doctor hissed.

All Ariel could do was nod along as he began tugging her out of the crowd, hoping to get out before the Bishop said the phrase that doomed them both.

“I pronounce that they be man and wife together,” the Bishop announced and just beside him Ariel could hear Jane Seymour in tears. 

Henry turned to find his new wife and his eyes widened when he spotted her right before the palace doors hand in hand with another man while trying to make a speedy getaway. 

“Gentlemen, stop that woman!” Henry ordered and Ariel turned white as a sheet.

Several men in heavy armour marched forward and Ariel turned to the Doctor with wide eyes.

“What do we do?” She squeaked.

“Run!” The Doctor cried. He shoved open the Palace doors but as they were about to bolt straight towards the Tardis several other knights spotted them trying to make a run for it and began chasing after the suspicious figures.

“Maybe, he’ll marry Jane Seymour and just forget this ever happened?” Ariel suggested with a small shrug.

“Ariel, you married Henry VIII!” The Doctor bellowed. “The only way he’ll forget this happened is when we’re long gone!” He shouted as they raced through another part of the Palace, desperate to outrun the knights chasing them.

“So, I guess we’re not ever returning around the year 1536 are we?” Ariel sighed.

“Not unless you wanna be captured by Henry VIII and forced to wed him and give him a son,” the Doctor retorted.

“I can’t even have kids this is ridiculous!” Ariel shrieked. 

“Say that to the sword that will be cutting your throat when he finds out you can’t give him an heir,” the Doctor moaned.

“Ugh, I just wanted a nice day with Anne Boleyn,” Ariel moaned. “Is that too much to ask?!” She exclaimed.

“Apparently, yes,” the Doctor nodded. “In!” He exclaimed, tugging her inside a bedroom to their left that was luckily left open. He pressed his ear to the door and listened as the knights ran past. “They’re gone but we won’t have much time. They’ll start searching the corridor when they can’t find us.”

“I can’t believe I married Henry VIII,” Ariel gasped, rubbing her forehead and swallowing sharply. “I can’t believe he said yes,” she frowned. “Why did he say yes?”

“Ah, you’re young and beautiful. He probably figured you’d be able to bear him a son,” the Doctor shrugged.

“Oh, that’s not helping,” Ariel moaned as she collapsed back onto the large bed in the room. 

“So,” the Doctor smirked. “Does this count as a proper wedding?”

“Shut up!” Ariel giggled. “I’m still trying to process the fact that I’m married to a sixteenth century monarch.”

“We leave this time period you’ll be alright,” the Doctor shrugged. “Plus, history still says he married after you. But the moment we’re gone you’ll be a widower either way.”

“But how do we get out?” Ariel wondered. “They’ll be searching the corridors for us.”

The Doctor glanced around the room and his eyes widened when they fell on the small window on the far wall. “If we can get that window open and can avoid Henry’s knights we can get out of here.”

Ariel nodded and jumped up to the window, frowning slightly. “Would a window in the sixteenth century be locked?” 

The Doctor walked up to her and shoved the window open. “That would be a no,” he chuckled. 

Ariel giggled and took the Doctor’s hand to jump up through the window and out into the small garden beside the Palace. The Doctor crawled through after her. He grabbed her hand and rushed to the very front of the Palace. He peered around the corner to ensure that there were no knights around. 

When he found the coast was clear, he nodded to Ariel and they bolted through the open area at the front of the Palace to the Tardis. They had almost succeeded until the front doors opened and more knights rushed through, shouting at the sight of the Doctor and Ariel trying to get away.

“Run!” The Doctor bellowed. 

Ariel raced inside the Tardis and the Doctor tried to run in after her but was stopped by a blade being tossed into the Tardis door right beside his head. The Doctor’s eyes inflated and he rushed inside before one of the other knights could get a better throw and hit his head.

He slammed the door shut and heaved a deep sigh as he leant against it.

Ariel looked at him with large eyes and it was only a matter of moments before they both fell into a fit of giggles. Ariel ran over to the Doctor and he wrapped his arms around her, spinning her in circles as she laughed before falling into his arms with a sigh.

“I married Henry VIII,” Ariel sighed.

“And you looked white as a sheet after you did so,” the Doctor chuckled and Ariel laughed. She gazed into his beautiful green eyes and her breath was stolen from her chest. His eyes dropped to her plump pink lips and he threaded his hand through his hair, unpinning it and allowing it to fall just past her shoulders in waves.

He tipped her head up and a single moment that lasted ages left her feeling as though there was no air in the room whatsoever. His lips descended upon her and she immediately melted into the kiss, grabbing the ends of his suit and pulling him as close as she could, unwanting of a single layer between them.

His tongue swept into her mouth, gliding against hers and leaving her feeling as though the room rocked beneath her feet. 

She squeaked in surprise when he grabbed her arse and hiked her up so she could wrap her legs around his waist, digging her heels into his back.

She smiled against his lips and he backed her up into the nearest flat surface. He sucked on her bottom lip and she groaned into his kiss, threading her fingers through his hair and pulling roughly making him moan, the sound of pure music.

He pulled her off the wall and removed his lips from hers. She groaned at the last of contact but his lips soon found their way back onto her skin when he nipped, sucked and licked his way up her neck until his lips found hers once again in a kiss that burned her to her very core. 

She kissed him soundly, her tongue tangling with his and the fire in her veins raging out of control as the Doctor backed them down the corridor and marched them into his room. 

She never wanted to let this go. If ever there was a doubt in her mind about her future with the Doctor, moments like these washed the very thoughts from her mind. He was perfection in every sense of the word.

Sure, they were both flawed but the revelation that they had both found a being in this universe that could not only accept them through those flaws but love them all the way through to their very core was heaven. 

When she was with the Doctor, she felt not only as though she were soaring high above cloud nine but that she was entirely invincible. It was astounding that she could find someone so perfect and so good to her. After years of thinking she wasn’t worth any sort of love due to the blood washed across her hands, she finally found somebody that made her think that she might just be deserving of the love he showered her with.

The Doctor thought nearly the same of her. He had spent far longer thinking he was a terrible man. One who deserved no kindness or good fortune in the aftermath of the crimes he had committed, and all the times he had tried to find love he had just lost. 

If he was honest with himself, he had no idea why Ariel remained by his side. Sure, she had tried to tell him that he was the only family he had left, but if he were her he would have left ages ago. And yet, she stayed. 

She was a miracle of a woman who managed to be standing in the heart of pure darkness and yet find beauty in color in those dark places. Despite her past, she still had more love in one heart than he could ever manage in two.

They both held their demons and their own self-hatred but with each other they found someone who washed that pain and regret away and just looked at the pure beauty within the other.

They were enwrapped in each other throughout all of time and they would never let go.

~~~

The next morning, the Doctor left Ariel to catch up on her sleep in his room while he headed out to the console room to begin deciding where they could travel to next. Little did he know, Amy and Rory had been in the library and they found a history book that proved to be highly entertaining. 

“Doctor?” Amy chuckled. “Did you and Ariel have a little midnight voyage while we were sleeping?” She asked.

“Why?” The Doctor frowned. 

Amy pulled out the history book and began reading. “Though each of King Henry VIII’s six women were famed through history for their marriage to the man, one of his lesser known wives was the mistress commonly addressed by people of this time as ‘Ariel’ she and the King were married for a day without any prior engagements before she was declared missing and presumed dead. However, according to contemporary accounts, a magical sphere some twenty feet across, was seen floating away from the Palace where the King and ‘Ariel’ were wedded, bearing a mysterious stranger and Ariel aloft,” Amy read.

“That was quick,” the Doctor remarked. “Usually, the books in the Tardis library take a fews to catch up with history, in fact I believe-.”

“Doctor!” Amy exclaimed, slamming the book shut as she spoke. “What happened?”

“Well, er, Ariel wanted to meet Anne Boleyn,” the Doctor shrugged.

“And what she ended up marrying Anne’s husband by some happy coincidence?” Rory frowned.

“It was a misunderstanding,” the Doctor sighed. “Tiny bit my fault but she shouldn’t have said I do so loudly if you ask me. She knew we were at a wedding. Albeit, the wrong wedding but still.”

Amy chuckled and rolled her eyes. “Where is she? I have to see her about this myself.”

“She’s still sleeping,” the Doctor shook his head. “After the Bishop married them we had to run from King Henry and his knights so he didn’t try to bed her.”

“Well, it certainly makes for an interesting story,” Rory shrugged. “She’s the only girl alive that can say she was married to King Henry.”

“Oi, I was married to Marilyn Monroe!” The Doctor exclaimed. “She’s not the only one who’s got a weird marriage story.”

“You were married to Marilyn Monroe?” Amy frowned. “Since when?!”

“Since a bit ago,” the Doctor shrugged. “It’s a long story,” he sighed. “We were both drunk, the limo driver was knackered and she was feeling daring. I humored her and only realized that was a real chapel the morning after,” he winced.

“I still think her marriage story is better,” Rory sighed. “She interrupted Henry VIII’s marriage to Jane Seymour by marrying him instead,” he chuckled.

“Oh, yeah well it was bound to happen,” the Doctor shrugged. “Travel across time enough you have a bit too many run ins with historical figures and wind up dating, getting married, I think I left Elizabeth the First once by the Tower when she wanted to propose,” he muttered with a small frown. “Blimey, that would have been a mess I didn’t want to get into,” he sighed.

“Yeah,”  Amy chuckled. “Because if you had married Elizabeth the First, Ariel would be like your mother in law,” she laughed.

Both Rory and the Doctor winced at the very idea.

“Eugh, that’s disgusting,” Rory sighed.

“I know,” the Doctor nodded. “Don’t, don’t mention that again,” he nearly pleaded with Amy.

“Okay,” Amy chuckled. “I’m gonna go wake Ariel up and laugh about how she’s one of Henry VIII’s women,” she hummed.

She spun around and her eyes grew wide when she saw Ariel at the very top of the steps in nothing but the Doctor’s shirt.

Ariel squealed and ran back through the corridor before anyone could comment on her attire but that didn’t stop the Doctor from turning crimson at the sight.

“Hold on, you watched your girlfriend get married to a British monarch and the first thing you did when you got her back home was shag her?” Amy laughed. “Oh, this should be on one of the soap dramas,” she sighed.

“I should go see what she wants,” the Doctor mumbled. “Stop reading that history book,” he called over his shoulder as Amy opened it once again.

Amy rolled her eyes and once he disappeared down the corridor, she nodded to Rory and they went to read through it once more in their room.

The Doctor opened his door and Ariel seemed to jump out of her skin at the sound or the door creaking open but sighed in relief when she spotted him. 

“You made the history books,” he smiled. “The mysterious mistress they called you.”

“I gave them my name,” Ariel frowned.

“Yea, but seeing as they only have your first name and this was the sixteenth century you can see how anyone being called ‘Ariel’ is a tad strange,” the Doctor chuckled.

“Fair enough,” she shrugged. “I can’t find my dress and the Tardis misplaced my room again,” she moaned. “I didn’t want to go running through the corridors looking for the wardrobe or my room and risk running into Amy or Rory and I thought you could help but I-.”

“You didn’t know they were in the console room with me,” the Doctor chuckled and nodded. “It’s alright. We’ll go see if we can find your room,” he smiled. He held out his hand to her and she grinned, taking his hand gratefully. “Afterward, what do you say to a trip to Rio?” He proposed.

“Oh, sounds brilliant,” Ariel sighed. “Never been to Rio, have we?”

“Nope,” the Doctor shook his head. “I figured a change in scenery should be nice.”


	18. Lizard People

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is so long, oh my god. Hope you guys like it.

The Doctor marched out and without taking a moment to look at his surroundings he extended his arms and grinned. “Behold, Rio!” He exclaimed.

Amy stepped out and frowned at the graveyard they had landed beside. “Nah,” she sighed.

“Not really getting the sunshine carnival vibe,” Rory remarked as he frowned at the cloudy area and dull atmosphere.

“No?” The Doctor winced, noticing that they were most certainly not in Rio. “Ooo, feel that, though. What's that?” He wondered, pressing his foot on the ground more firmly. For some reason, it felt far more hollow than the Earth he had walked in Amy and Ariel’s time. He jumped up and down on the ground. “Ground feels strange,” he remarked and sighed when he glanced over his shoulder and spotted Amy and Rory not reaching the same conclusion. “Just me. Wait. That's weird,” he said, growing fascinated by all the misplaced elements present in this time.

“What’s weird?” Rory wondered.

“Doctor, stop trying to distract us,” Amy moaned. “We're in the wrong place. Doctor, it's freezing and I've dressed for Rio. We are not stopping here. Doctor. You listening to me? It's a graveyard. You promised me a beach,” she reminded him as he marched through the field to inspect some patches of blue grass.

“Blue grass,” the Doctor frowned. “Patches of it all around the graveyard. So, Earth, 2020-ish, ten years in your future, wrong continent for Rio, I'll admit, but it's not a massive overshoot,” he shrugged.

“Why are those people waving at us?” Amy asked, gesturing to two figures on the other side of the valley. 

The Doctor stood up and narrowed his eyes at the figure. “Can’t be,” the Doctor breathed.

Rory started to wave back and Amy pushed his hand down. “Don’t,” Amy said.

The Doctor pulled out a pair of binoculars from his coat and used it to get a better look at the two figures on the other side of the valley. “It is,” he gasped. “It’s you two.”

“No, we're here,” Rory frowned. “How can we be up there?”

“Ten years in your future. Come to relive past glories, I'd imagine,” the Doctor hummed. “Humans, you're so nostalgic,” he sighed.

“We’re still together in ten years?” Amy scoffed.

“No need to sound so surprised,” Rory mumbled.

“Oh, where on Earth is Ariel,” the Doctor murmured. He opened the Tardis door and glanced around the console room for her. “Ariel!” He called. 

“Just a second!” She cried.

“You sure she’s gonna want to come out when we’re not in Rio?” Amy prompted. 

“Oh, she’ll be alright,” the Doctor dismissed with a wave.

Amy shrugged and turned to watch her future self beside Rory once again. “Hey, let's go and talk to them. We can say hi to future us. How cool is that?” She chuckled.

“Er, no, best not. Really best not. These things get complicated very quickly,” the Doctor sighed. “Ariel!” He called once again.

“I’m here, I’m here,” Ariel sighed, rushing out from the Tardis in a sweater and skirt. “This isn’t Rio,” she frowned glancing around the graveyard.

“No, it’s much better,” the Doctor smiled. “Feel the ground.”

Ariel pressed her foot on the ground and raised an eyebrow. “Oh, what’s that?” She hummed. “That’s different.”

The Doctor’s eyes widened as he spotted a large mining device in the distance. “And oh look,” he sighed. “Big mining thing. Oh, I love a big mining thing. See, way better than Rio. Rio doesn't have a big mining thing,” he smiled.

“Definitely interesting,” Ariel agreed.

“We're not going to have a look, are we?”Amy moaned.

“Let's go and have a look,” the Doctor grinned. “Come on, you three, let's see what they're doing,” he sighed. He took Ariel’s hand and she smiled as they began marching through the field.

“So, since we’re not in Rio where on Earth are we?” Ariel wondered.

“Ah, I’d say somewhere round South Wales,” the Doctor shrugged. “Ten years in the future.”

“South Wales in 2020,” Ariel frowned. “It’s always so odd to arrive somewhere in a timeline where I’m still alive,” she frowned. 

“Well, seeing as this trip is basically lost where would you like to go next?” The Doctor wondered.

“I think you should choose the next trip,” Ariel smiled. “Seeing as when I tried to choose I wound up married to a British monarch.”

“Oh, we all make mistakes,” the Doctor dismissed with a wave of his hand. 

“I’m torn between thinking you should be taking the mickey way more than you are or should be the tiniest bit upset,” Ariel frowned.

“Why would I be upset?” The Doctor wondered. “Your reaction when the bishop pronounced you man and wife was enough to wipe away jealousy if ever there was any.”

“Fair point,” Ariel giggled. “But in my own defense they shouldn’t make it that easy to marry the King of England.”

“Also, a good point,” the Doctor chuckled and nodded.

“Doctor! Ariel!” Amy called as she ran up to them. 

They both stopped and waited for her to catch up with them. 

“Where’s Rory?” Ariel frowned. 

“He’s gonna catch us up,” Amy shrugged. “He caught me wearing the engagement ring and didn’t wanna risk me losing it.”

“I thought he liked you wearing that,” Ariel remembered.

“I know,” Amy moaned. “But he doesn’t wanna take the risk, I suppose.”

“I guess that’s fair,” Ariel shrugged. “We were actually just talking about where we should go next,” she said. “I’m thinking we avoid British royalty for a bit.”

“Good idea,” Amy giggled. “I honestly don’t know,” she sighed. “If I’m honest I sort of think we should just take a break and relax in the Tardis for a few days. I could use a mini vacation.

“Traveling with the Doctor is a vacation,” Ariel laughed.

“Oh, you know what I mean,” Amy chuckled. “A vacation from running down the corridors and being chased. Just a few days to kick back in the swimming pool and relax.”

“Sounds good,” Ariel nodded. “I could use some time to catch up on books in the library,” she said as they walked up to the gated and locked off mine site.

“Restricted access!” The Doctor exclaimed, reading from the sign on the locked entrance. “No unauthorised personnel. Hmm.”

He pulled out his sonic and Ariel smiled as he pointed it at the large lock and it sparked as it popped open for him. 

“That is breaking and entering,” Amy hissed.

“What did I break?” The Doctor laughed.

“The lock?” Ariel offered with a small shrug.

“Sonicing and entering,” the Doctor scoffed. “Totally different,” he assured them.

He pushed the door open and Amy flashed a smile at the couple before marching inside. “Come on, then,” Amy sighed.

Ariel marched in after the redhead and the Doctor looked over his shoulder with a small frown. “You sure Rory’ll catch us up?” He mumbled.

“Yeah, he said he would,” Amy sighed. “Are we going or not?”

“Yeah, yeah,” the Doctor nodded. “We’re going,” he murmured. He cast one last glance across the field to where his Tardis was parked before turning and closing the door behind him.

He darted up to Amy and Ariel who were trying to get an armored door open. 

“I think the entrance is here, but it’s locked,” Ariel sighed, giving up on the door once the Doctor had arrived.

“Oh, why do people lock things,” the Doctor moaned. He pulled out his sonic once again and Ariel giggled as he made quick work of the door and pulled it open for the women. “Ladies first,” he said.

Ariel and Amy shared a smile before they walked inside, Ariel granting the Doctor a small curtsey as she passed him. The Doctor smiled and closed the door behind them before walking up to Ariel’s side and draping an arm over her shoulders.

“What about now?” The Doctor wondered, glancing over at Amy. “Can you feel it now?”

“Honestly, I've got no idea what you're on about,” Amy moaned.

“The ground doesn’t feel like it should,” the Doctor mumbled, sighing softly as he stamped his foot on the ground once again.

“Wait, you can’t feel that?” Ariel frowned.

“It's ten years in the future. Maybe how this ground feels is how it always feels,” Amy shrugged.

“Good thought, but no, it doesn't,” the Doctor shook his head. Just then there was the sound of a soft alarm echoing in the distance. “Hear that, drill in startup mode. Afterwaves of a recent seismological shift and blue grass,” the Doctor hummed. From his suit he pulled out a small patch of blue grass and stuck it in his mouth. “Eugh,” he winced, immediately spitting it out after he did so.

Ariel’s face fell into a grimace at the sight of him attempting to chew on the grass. 

“Yeah, I’m not going to be kissing those lips for a bit,” Ariel warned him and the Doctor smiled nervously.

“Oh, please,” Amy sighed, rolling her eyes at the Doctor. “Have you always been this disgusting?”

“I can already say that’s a no,” Ariel chuckled. 

“Yeah, no, that’s recent,” the Doctor agreed.

“How I miss the days when the weirdest thing he did was sniff the air and tell me the forecast for the say,” Ariel sighed.

“What’s in-,” the Doctor began and grinned as he peered into a large store room with a short woman standing before a set of computers inside it. “Here. Hello!” He smiled.

“Who are you? What're you doing here?” The woman frowned as she peered at the trio marching into the room as though they belonged there. “And what're you wearing?” She nearly scoffed as she eyed Amy’s extremely short shorts.

“I dressed for Rio,” Amy moaned, rolling her eyes at the comment.

“Take it from me and dress in an outfit that’s comfortable wherever we end up,” Ariel advised. “It saves you moments like this.”

“Duly noted,” Amy nodded.

“Ministry of Drills, Earth and Science,” the Doctor said, flashing his psychic paper at the woman. 

“Doctor, that doesn’t exist,” Ariel whispered.

“New Ministry, quite big, just merged,” he shrugged. “It's lot of responsibility on our shoulders. Don't like to talk about it. What are you doing?” He wondered, trying to get a good look at the readings on the woman’s computer.

“None of your business,” the woman snapped.

“Oh, touchy,” Ariel hummed. 

Amy chuckled and nodded. She spotted a piece of machinery with a comfy seat and nodded Ariel in its direction. If the Doctor was going to be working out readings from the Earth for a while, they would both get very bored very fast.

Ariel smiled and nodded and they both went to take the seat together.

“Where are you getting these readings from?” The Doctor wondered.

“Under the soil,” the woman answered.

“The drill's up and running again,” a man announced as he marched into the room and skidded to a stop with a small frown as he spotted the trio. “What's going on? Who are these people?”

“Amy, Ariel, the Doctor,” Amy introduced, waving to each of them in turn. “We’re not staying are we, Doctor?” She prompted.

The Doctor ignored her question and instead frowned at a patch of dirt in the center of the floor. “Why's there a big patch of earth in the middle of your floor?” He wondered.

“We’re probably staying,” Ariel mumbled to Amy with a small shrug and the redhead groaned.

“We don't know,” the woman shrugged. “It just appeared overnight.”

“Good. Right,” the Doctor nodded. “You all need to get out of here very fast,” he instructed and Ariel and Amy jumped up at his rushed words.

“Why?” The woman wondered, still not trusting the Doctor’s words.

“What’s your name?” The Doctor asked.

“Nasreen Chaudhry,” the woman answered.

“Look at the screens, Nasreen,” the Doctor instructed. “Look at your readings. It's moving,” he breathed.

“Hey, that's specialised equipment!” The man that had walked in snapped at the Doctor. “Get away from it.”

Amy and Ariel walked up to the patch of Earth in the ground and knelt down beside it. There was steam rolling from the patch and neither girl was certain where it was coming from.

“Er, Doctor?” Ariel prompted, frowning curiously at the steam.

“Doctor, this steam, is that a good thing?” Amy asked.

“Shouldn't think so,” the Doctor shook his head. “It's shifting when it shouldn't be shifting.”

“What shouldn’t?” Nasreen wondered.

Before the Doctor could answer her, there was a rough rumble across the building that tossed Ariel and Amy backwards and sent the readings on Nasreen’s computer off the charts.

“The ground, the soil, the earth, moving,” the Doctor mumbled. “But how? Why?”

“What’s going on?!” The man exclaimed.

“Is it an earthquake?” Ariel wondered.

“Doubt it, because it's only happening under this room,” the Doctor shook his head.

All of a sudden, two more holes appeared in the floor then three more followed that. Ariel and Amy jumped up and skirted away from the holes appeared across the ground.

“It knows we're here,” the Doctor gasped. “It's attacking. The ground's attacking us.”

“No, no, that’s not possible,” the man insisted with a shake of his head.

“What do we do?” Ariel asked, trying to keep her voice steady and calm in the face of the very floor beneath her feet possibly attacking her any moment.

“Under the circumstances, I'd suggest, run!” The Doctor cried.

They did just that as two more holes appeared in the ground. Ariel skidded to a stop when the man cried out in pain as the ground swallowed his body up to his knees.

“Ariel!” Amy exclaimed, but she ignored the redhead as she ran up to the man.

Amy sighed and ran up to her side to try and help the man out of the ground.

“Tony!” Nasreen cried when her eyes fell upon the state of the man.

“Stay back, Ariel, Amy!” The Doctor yelled. “Stay away from the earth!” He shouted.

Amy and Ariel inched around new holes in the ground and each grabbed one of Tony’s hands to try and pull him out of the ground.

Unfortunately, before they could help him escape the ground opened up beneath their feet. 

Ariel screamed as she felt the ground wrap around her shoes. “Doctor!” She shrieked.

“It’s pulling me down!” Amy shouted.

“No!” The Doctor bellowed. He ran over to them and grabbed each of the girl’s hands. Amy was swallowed down to her waist while Ariel only fell to her knees into the ground.

“Doctor, help me,” Amy gasped. “Something’s got me.”

“I feel it too,” Ariel winced. “It’s got it’s hand wrapped around my ankle.”

“Stay away from it,” the Doctor instructed. 

“I can’t, I-,” Ariel began and Amy screamed as she was pulled down to her shoulders.

“Doctor!” She yelled.

“Stay calm. Keep hold of my hand. Don't let go,” the Doctor breathed. “Your drill, shut it down. Go. Now!” He barked at Nasreen and Tony and they began running like cartoon characters, scrambling to get to the controls of the drill.

“Doctor, it's pulling me down,” Amy whimpered, tears clouding her vision.

“Stay calm,” the Doctor instructed with a firm nod.

“Doctor!” Ariel screamed when she was pulled down to her waist.

“Ariel!” The Doctor bellowed. “Ariel, stay calm,” he gasped. “Hold onto my hand and stay calm.”

“It keeps pulling me, Doctor,” Ariel breathed. “It’s pulling Amy too. Do you know what it is?”

“Amy, concentrate,” the Doctor instructed. “Don't you give up.”

“Tell Rory-,” Amy gasped, but before she could finish her sentence, she was pulled beneath the earth.

“No. Amy! Amy, no!” The Doctor bellowed, slamming his hand down on the ground. He tried to sonic the patch of earth but nothing happened. He ran to Ariel and tried to sonic the ground, but she was just pulled further down.

Ariel desperately clawed at the sturdy ground before her but to no avail. The Doctor jumped forward and tried to pull her out but whatever he did, the hand beneath the ground was stronger. 

“Stay calm. Now, hold on till they can just shut down the drill,” the Doctor instructed.

“Doctor, do you know what’s down there?” Ariel asking, trying to keep her voice calm when she spoke. “Do you know what’s pulling me?”

The Doctor hesitated. “I-I can’t be sure.”

“Doctor,” she insisted. “If I’m going down there alone you  _ have  _ to tell me,” Ariel said.

“You’re not going down there,” the Doctor shook his head. “They’ll turn off the drill and we’ll get you out of there.”

“Doctor, be realistic,” Ariel sniffled, tears blurring her vision. “Please, just tell me what’s down there,” she begged.

The Doctor sighed softly and nodding, desperate to talk fast before she was taken. 

“I’m not certain but I have a theory. If I’m right, they’re called Silurians. They look like lizard people. They pre-date humanity and have been on the Earth long before you lot even evolved to where you are now.”

“And what do they want with us?” Ariel asked, her voice cracking as she spoke.

“I don’t know,” the Doctor admitted. He sniffled softly and tried not to betray the fear and worry flooding his veins at what may happen to the woman he loved.

Ariel was tugged down even further and she shrieked, gripping the Doctor’s hand so tightly his knuckles turned white as he held on with just the same amount of tightness.

“Doctor,” Ariel gasped as he neck was pulled under. “I love you,” she breathed.

Before the Doctor could respond, she was yanked underneath the ground with a final scream.

“Ariel!” The Doctor bellowed. He clawed at the dirt as though that would bring her back to him in vain.

As if by some cruel joke, Nasreen and Tony chose that moment to run in an announced the stillness of the drill. 

The Doctor took shaky breaths, bowing his head into the dirt. He just lost his best friend and the woman he loved in one fair swoop and now he had to try and save them all by himself. He hated going through this alone without Ariel by his side. She was his voice of reason, the one that had always pulled him back and stopped him from going too far. 

She was the other half of his own mind. She supplemented ideas and plans that he would never have even considered until she offered them. Once he had her, he had no idea what he would do without her and now he had to face that very fact.

“Where are they?” Nasreen gasped.

“They’re gone,” the Doctor mumbled. “The ground took them.”

~~~

Ariel awoke with a sharp inhale and a throbbing ache in the back of her head. She winced and rubbed her head, groaning against the pain she found.

“Where the hell-,” she began, narrowing her blurry eyes at her surroundings. If she had to describe where she was in just a few words, she was certain all that would come to mind was  _ glass coffin _ . 

She slammed her hands against the walls, trying to find if there was a way out of some sort of hatch she could press against to get an easy escape. Of course, nothing could ever be that simple and she turned up empty handed.

“Bloody hell, where am I?” Ariel moaned. “Amy?!” She called. “Amy!” She tried but there was no response. “Anybody?!” She exclaimed.

Just then, a figure with green skin an a white outfit held a finger to its lips. “Shh.”

Ariel nodded and gulped at the sight of an individual. So, the Doctor was right the Silurians were the ones that took them and apparently they had some sort of doctor. If their species truly did predate humanity she hoped they would know what to use that wouldn’t kill her. 

“Do you know where my friend is?” Ariel asked. “There was a red haired woman she would have been brought here with me? Fairly tall,  _ really  _ Scottish?”

Rather than answer, the doctor flooded the glass coffin Ariel laid in with some sort of light green gas.

“No, no, no. No, don't do that,” Ariel begged. She glanced around at the gas flooding the coffin and took a deep breath. She held her breath for as long as possible until the gas was all she could see and began making her eyes water.

When she couldn’t hold her breath any longer, she pulled up her sweater and tried to breath through it. Some of the gas still peeked through and made her cough softly, it wasn’t enough to render he unconscious.

The doctor Silurian peered back over her glass coffin and frowned. He disappeared momentarily and the gas was drained from the coffin.

Ariel dropped her sweater and huffed out a sigh of relief. 

“You humans hold such resistance,” the Silurian remarked.

“All I want to know is where my friend is and if she is safe,” Ariel assured him. “You can do whatever you want to me just show me where she is and assure me you won’t do the same to her.”

The scientist hesitated and disappeared for a moment. When he returned he lifted off the top of the glass casing allowing Ariel to sit up.

“What was the tactic you used to stop from inhaling the gas?” He wondered.

“Oh, that?” Ariel frowned. “That’s nothing,” she shook her head. “I saw it in a film once,” she shrugged.

The Silurian seemed confused by her dialect but didn’t question her any further. 

“Why did you bring us here?” Ariel wondered, frowning at the Silurian.

“It’s strange, you seem less hostile than the other humans brought here,” the Silurian remarked.

“Take the precaution of a boyfriend who sees the best in everybody and you would be too,” Ariel chuckled. “But hold on, other humans? There’s more than just me and my friend?”

“A human male,” the Silurian nodded. “What can you tell me of the world on the surface?”

“No, no, I’ll give you answers when you give me mine. What’s happening to my friend? I mentioned her earlier? Red hair? Hell of an attitude?” She chuckled.

“The human female was recovered before you, she has already completed decontamination and last I saw was being prepped for dissection,” the Silurian answered.

“Are there more like you? Not of your species I mean more scientists?” Ariel wondered.

“Just one other,” the Silurian nodded. “He will likely be dissecting your friend now.”

“And what do you lot do during dissection?!” Ariel exclaimed.

“We open the body up and analyze the various organs and their functions to see what each does to help the human body survive on the ground,” he explained.

“But you don’t hurt any of them?” Ariel prompted.

“If injuries are incurred it is usually accidental.”

“Alright,” Ariel nodded. “But why are your people attacking the ground? What have we done to you?”

“Your weapon was attacking the oxygen pockets right above our city.”

“City?” Ariel gasped. “Oxygen pockets? Oh, blimey the Doctor’s gonna have a field day with this one,” she moaned. “Right well, I’m sorry but the drilling has stopped hasn’t it?”

“It does not matter. The action still brought on war.”

“Oh, bloody hell,” Ariel groaned. “Right, well never mind all that for the moment,” she shook her head. “What do you want to know?”

“How have your people survived the surface?” He wondered.

“We evolved,” Ariel shrugged. “We sort of evolved along with the Earth and were able to live on it. It’s safe on the surface,” she assured him with a nod. 

“How long have your people been surviving on the surface?”

“Psh, centuries, I suppose. Even that is a rough estimate. There six billion of us living on it.”

“That means it’s safe for us to exit hibernation,” the scientist realized with large eyes. “I have to inform the city.”

“Yeah, inform all you like but I need to get to my friend because we’ve got people on the surface who likely believe we’re dead,” Ariel told him.

“Of course,” the scientist nodded. “I’ll show you to the laboratory. You’ll need this,” he said pulling a small device with two lime green buttons out of his pocket.

“What’s this?” Ariel frowned as he helped her out of the glass coffin.

“The humans needed to be restrained,” he said. “They were struggling far too much.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet Amy put up one hell of a fight,” Ariel giggled. “Hold on, what’s your name? You never told me.”

“Malohkeh, and yourself?” He prompted.

“Ariel,” she nodded. “Ariel Parsons.”

“Right through this door is that-,” he began but was cut off by the sound of a small alert from what sounded like a computer over a pa system across the city.

“Area Seventeen incursion. Species diagnostic requested. Area Seventeen incursion. Species diagnostic requested,” the computer announced.

“I have to go. Your friends are through that door,” Malohkeh told her. “Give them my sincerest apologies.”

“Wait but what buttons do I press?!” Ariel exclaimed. “And you’re gone,” she sighed. She rolled her eyes and shoved the door open finding Amy and some strange man on vertical examination tables.

“Ariel!” Amy cried and fought against her restraints to get to the brunette.

“Shh,” Ariel instructed, pressing her finger on her lips. She knew they would be safe if Malohkeh returned but she didn’t want to risk running into a Silurian that was less friendly.

She pressed the buttons on the small device Malohkeh had given her and the man and Ariel were both freed from their restraints. 

As soon as Amy saw she had been released, she jumped up and ran to Ariel, wrapping the brunette in a tight hug.

“Oh, hello,” Ariel giggled. “I missed you too.”

“I was so worried. What happened? How did you get that thing?” Amy asked, frowning at the device in her hands.

“Bit of a long story,” Ariel shrugged. “When they were decontaminating me I just covered my nose rather than panicking and the Silurian got freaked out so he pulled me out to question me-.”

“And you attacked him?” The man guessed, dropping off his examination table and rubbing his wrists where the restraints had been.

“No,” Ariel frowned. “I did what the Doctor would do. I just talked to him and turns out all he wants to know is how humans survive on the surface,” she shrugged. “That’s all any of them want to know.”

“And did you tell him?” Amy implored with a raised eyebrow.

“I said it was evolution. I’m not sure if that counts as telling him how to survive on Earth,” Ariel sighed.

“Right, well, whatever the case we need to get out of here,” the man sighed. “You may have met one of the friendly’s but I don’t doubt if we’re caught by any of the others we’ll be thrown back into dissection,” he mumbled.

“Sorry, who is he?” Ariel asked, gesturing to him with a frown. 

“My name is Mo,” the man said. “I was pulled down first.”

“Ah, you’re the reason for the patch of earth in the construction site,” Ariel hummed. “Right, well, I agree Mo. We need to get out of here. Come on.”

She waved Amy and Mo out the door and down a corridor to some tunnels, avoiding detection by any of the Silurians.

“Hold on, you called them Silurians,” Amy frowned. “How do you know what they are?”

“The Doctor told me. Right before I went down he said it was just a theory but they could be what was grabbing me and pulling me. I went down a bit after you so I’m guessing in that time they got you and decontaminated you before they even found me,” Ariel shrugged.

“So, the Doctor just told you everything about them?” Amy prompted.

“Yeah,” Ariel nodded. “I knew he had an idea of what might be down here and if I was going to have any shot at surviving and bringing you back to the surface alive I needed to know. He said Silurians look like lizard people and pre-date humanity, but he had no idea what they could want. Then, the Silurian I talked to said our people had engaged in acts of war by using out weapon to attack the oxygen pockets above their city.”

“The drill,” Mo gasped.

“Yep,” Ariel nodded. “That drill woke them up and made them think they were being attacked, but none of that matters if we can’t get to the surface to tell them all this to them,” she sighed.

“Hold on,” Amy said, skidding to a stop along the tunnel as she found a door. “I wonder where this leads,” she hummed.

Ariel grinned and marched back up to the door, peering through a darkened window to see if she could spot anything inside. 

“Maybe, it’s a way out of here,” Mo offered.

Amy raised an eyebrow at Ariel and the brunette simply shrugged. “It’s worth a shot,” she nodded. She walked over to a small panel on the wall and pressed a button. The screen lit up and she frowned as she tried to interpret the information being presented to her while the room behind the door lit up as well.

“Oh, my God, no,” Mo gasped. 

“What is it?” Amy asked. 

“It's my son,” Mo breathed. “It's Elliot. What've they done to him? He's in there. We have to get him out. Elliot? Elliot, it's Dad,” he tried calling and waving to the boy inside.

Ariel’s eyes widened as she stared at the screen. There seemed to be an image of an outline of Elliot’s body. She rushed up to Mo’s side and narrowed her eyes at the window, trying to catch a glimpse of the boy inside. His eyes were shut and he seemed to have wires delicately placed around him, but there were no visible injuries.

Mo, however, hardly seemed to care and began slamming his hand down on the wall panel trying to get inside. 

“Access denied. Unauthorised genetic imprint,” the computer announced, but that didn’t stop Mo from trying.

“Stop,” Amy instructed, pulling Mo away from the controls. “Seriously, we can't get in.”

“That’s my boy in there!” Mo exclaimed.

“We know and we know how much this must be killing you to leave him, but as far as we know right now the Silurians are not trying to hurt us. They’re just trying to understand us,” Ariel assured him. 

“These screens, they're monitoring something,” Amy frowned “I think they're vital signs. Heartbeats, pulses. Why else would he be wired up? He's still alive,” she promised.

“She’s right,” Ariel nodded. “We’ll get your son, but for now we’ve got to keep moving,” she insisted. 

“Alright,” Mo nodded. “We find weapons, get that creature from the lab and force it to release Elliot, yeah?” He prompted, looking between the two women hopefully. 

“Yeah,” Amy agreed. “Trust me. We’ll get him out.”

“No,” Ariel shook her head. “We’ll get your son out Mo but I’m not killing anybody to get it done.”

“I never said-.”

“Getting weapons and threatening people runs one of two ways. Either it’s an empty threat and we get tossed back in the laboratory or worse, shot down, or it’s a true threat and then what happens if he refuses? We kill him and then suppose the next one refuses, we kill him too and after that it just goes on and on. Weapons lead down a road you can’t ever return from and I’m not going to take you lot down it,” Ariel sighed.

“Then what do you suggest we do?!” Mo exclaimed.

“We find another way,” Ariel nodded.

“What other way is there?” Amy moaned.

“The Doctor’s way,” Ariel smiled. “Come on,” she said, waving the pair along. “We’ve gotta keep moving.”

They did just that and continued marching along the corridors through the next door. 

“If we don’t get weapons to kill them with the least we can do is get weapons to defend ourselves,” Mo sighed.

“Are you really that dead set on having a weapon?” Ariel frowned.

“They have my son!” He exclaimed. 

“And they’re keeping him safe, alive and monitored. I’m guess that’s as good as it gets when you’re kidnapped by Silurians,” Ariel frowned. “At least they’re not cutting him up like they did to you,” she reminded him. 

“And how long do you think he has until they do?” Mo wondered. “I’d feel better knowing I have a weapon to fight back with when they do try to hurt him.”

“Oh, fine,” Ariel moaned. “Get a bloody weapon if you want it so bad but just don’t try to give me one.”

“Believe me, I wouldn’t,” Mo shook his head. 

They marched through another door leading to a corridor where on either side of them there were small darkened chambers where figures inside stood.

“Hold on,” Amy frowned. “These chambers, they’re all over the city.”

She stuck her hand in a small control panel and pressed a button lighting up two of the chambers. Inside the chambers were two Silurian women in armor with masks on. 

“Urgh!” Mo exclaimed, jumping back with large eyes. “Turn in off quick!” He cried and Amy did as he asked.

“Hold on,” Ariel frowned, stepping forward and narrowing her eyes at the Silurian women. They hadn’t moved an inch after Amy lit up the chambers. “They’re not moving.”

“Maybe, they’re asleep,” Amy shrugged.

“I don’t think so,” Ariel mumbled. “The light should have woken them up and as far as I could tell they were in their armor. Why would they sleep standing up in their armor?” She wondered.

“Let’s have another look,” Amy suggested and Ariel nodded, but Mo seemed entirely opposed to the idea.

“No, Amy, don't. Don't,” Mo begged but she didn’t listen.

She turned on the lights to the chambers again and even opened them up so she could step inside one with Ariel.

“Amy, what are you doing?” Mo gasped. “Get out of there.”

“Huh, it looks like they’re frozen while sleeping,” Ariel mumbled.

“Some sort of suspended animation,” Amy nodded, she knelt to the ground and frowned at some sort of disc beneath their feet. “I wonder what these are?” She muttered.

“No idea,” Ariel frowned, kneeling down beside her as well. “I could give it my best guess, but I’m not entirely sure what they’re doing so I’d hardly know.”

“The Doctor would know,” Amy smiled at her. “The Doctor always knows.”

“Ah, yeah,” Ariel giggled. “Well, almost always,” she shrugged. “But it’s adorable when he doesn’t know,” she smiled.

“Hey, look,” Mo whispered. He pointed up and above the Silurians there were tunnels leading upwards and likely to the surface. 

“Ah, that makes sense,” Ariel hummed, nodding at the sight. She turned to Amy and saw the redhead was taking a moment to process the sight. “Do you know what this means?”

Amy frowned for a moment before her eyes widened in understanding. “I've got it,” she nodded. “It's how they came up to the surface. Some sort of powered transport discs. It's our way out of here,” she smiled.

“Well, I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s our way out of here but it gives us a chance, yeah,” Ariel nodded.

“Even better. Weapons,” Mo hummed and Ariel rolled her eyes as he pulled the weapon from the hands of the Silurian. 

“Oh, he never lets it go,” Ariel moaned. Amy grabbed a weapon as well and when Ariel raised an eyebrow at her, she simply shrugged.

“Better to be safe than sorry,” Amy said.

“Suit yourself,” Ariel mumbled. “Come on, we should get out of here,” she nodded to Amy.

The redhead sighed and nodded and they headed out of the chamber to close it. 

“Which way now?” Mo asked.

“Door at the end,” Ariel instructed.

“Are you sure?” Mo asked.

“Nope,” Ariel sighed, but marched ahead anyway. 

Amy chuckled and shook her head. More and more everyday she was beginning to see how identical Ariel and the Doctor really were. They followed her through the door at the end and found it lead to a balcony overlooking a vast chamber containing warriors as far as the eye could see.

“Wow,” Mo gasped.

“Yeah,” Amy nodded. 

“We don’t stand a chance,” Mo mumbled.

“Oh, what do you know?” Ariel mumbled. “Your only shot is negotiation, isn’t it always the way?” She sighed. She marched ahead to the next door before them. “Come on, we’re bound to reach something that isn’t going to possibly kill us,” she said and the pair hesitated but ran after her to follow regardless.

They headed through the corridors before eventually Ariel’s eyes widened and she pushed Mo and Amy behind her to safety.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” Amy frowned.

Ariel pressed her finger to her lips and watched as the Silurians escorted the Doctor and Nasreen into a strange room. 

“You're not authorised to do this,” Malohkeh said to a Silurian woman.

“I am authorised to protect the safety of our species while they sleep,” the Silurian woman snapped.

“They’ve got the Doctor and Nasreen,” Ariel breathed. “I think they’re going to kill them.”

“I thought you said they didn’t want to kill us,” Mo frowned.

“They don’t. My guess is they’re using the Doctor and Nasreen as examples. If they wanted to kill all our people they would have gone to the laboratory and killed the pair of you but since they didn’t and no alarms were raised, it’s safe to assume they’re not worried about us,” Ariel concluded.

“Even still,” Mo sighed. “Bet you wish you had picked up a gun now, huh?”

“Not a chance,” Ariel scoffed. “But those might be of use to us. Amy, you and I are gonna find a back entrance to that room. Mo, you go into the front. We don’t kill but we’ll try to surround the Silurians and maybe we can pressure them into giving the pair up,” she suggested.

“And if they don’t?” Mo prompted.

“We find another way but I’m not gonna stand by and watch as you kill Silurians and incite war in their eyes. You saw the army they had back there. Do you really wanna risk that?” Ariel prompted, raising an eyebrow at the man.

“No,” Mo winced. 

“Exactly,” Ariel sighed. “Now, let’s go. I don’t know how long they’re going to wait before killing.”

Mo nodded and Ariel grabbed Amy’s hand and rushed to a corridor beside the entrance in the hopes of finding another way in.

“Why don’t you like weapons?” Amy wondered. “I can get why the Doctor doesn’t, but why you?”

“Every time I get near a weapon someone dies,” Ariel muttered.

“Isn’t that sort of the point?” Amy scoffed.

“Not when it’s someone you like,” Ariel sighed. She shoved a door at the end of the corridor open and found it lead into the court as she had hoped. She waved Amy through and they ran inside. 

“This is our court and our place of execution,” the Silurian woman announced.

Amy rushed up to the woman and raised the gun as Mo came running in through the other door. 

“Let them go,” Amy snapped.

“Amy Pond. There's a girl to rely on,” the Doctor chuckled.

The Silurian woman made to move against Amy and the redhead jumped back and nodded to Mo as he marched forward. 

“You're covered both ways, so don't try anything clever, buster,” Amy snapped.

“Mo,” Nasreen gasped at the sight of her friend.

Ariel marched up and rather than noticing the Doctor, she frowned at Malohkeh’s presence.

“Malohkeh,” Ariel frowned. “What are you doing?”

“I am so sorry Ariel,” Malohkeh shook his head. “This is not the way I intended things to happen.”

“Malohkeh, you are friends with these apes?!” The Silurian woman snapped.

“Yes he is,” Ariel nodded. “And if you had tried to be maybe we wouldn’t be in this situation!” She exclaimed. 

“Ariel,” the Doctor breathed, a grin spread wide across his lips at the sight of her. 

“Doctor,” Ariel smiled. She ignored the threat of the Silurians before her and raced to the man she loved. Without a moment of hesitation she pressed her lips against his and kissed him as though they had been parted for centuries.

The Silurian woman sneered at her and tried to move towards her but Amy stopped her with the gun. 

“Now let them go, or I shoot!” Amy snapped.

The woman moved towards Amy and rather than shoot, Amy just backed away anxiously. 

“I’m warning you!” Amy cried. 

However, instead of shooting the woman, she was disarmed and the gun was tossed to the ground.

Ariel turned with large eyes to watch as Amy raised her hands in surrender and the woman turned to Mo.

“And you,” the woman nodded to Mo.

Mo was immediately disarmed by the other Silurian women in the room and raised his hands in surrender as well.

“Alright, Restac, you’ve made your point,” Malohkeh hummed. “Leave the humans be.”

“This is now a military tribunal,” Restac snapped at the scientist. “Go back to your laboratory, Malohkeh,” she spat.

The pair hissed at each other and Malohkeh was shoved by one of the military women, silently prodding at him to leave. 

“This isn’t the way,” Malohkeh murmured. 

Restac rolled her eyes and turned back to the group. “Prepare them for execution.”

One of the Silurian women grabbed each of the three that had entered and began cuffing them while Malohkeh was escorted out of the room. 

“I am so sorry Ariel,” Malohkeh apologized. 

“It’s okay,” Ariel nodded as she was shacked to rings in the pair of columns where the Doctor was already chained. “You’ve done all you can.”

“Not all I could,” Malohkeh mumbled before marching out.

“Been making friends have you?” The Doctor smirked.

“Yeah, after he tried to gas me and knock me unconscious we got to talking and he’s not too bad,” Ariel shrugged.

The Doctor chuckled and shook his head. She was definitely becoming native, but maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing. After all, he had fallen in love with Ariel partially for her intelligence, maybe she would know better than to let herself get pulled in too deep.

“I’m glad the two of you are okay,” he said to Ariel and Amy.

“Me too,” Amy nodded. “Lizard men, though,” she chuckled.

“Homo Reptilia,” the Doctor corrected. “They occupied the planet before humans. Now they want it back.”

“After they’ve wiped out the human race,” Nasreen added.

“Right,” Amy sighed. “Preferred it when I didn't know, to be honest,” she mumbled.

“Oh, first I get sucked into the ground, then I get stuck in a glass coffin, now I’m gonna be wiped out by homo reptilia. This day just keeps getting better and better,” Ariel moaned sarcastically.

“Why are they waiting?” Nasreen wondered. “What do you think they're going to do with us?”

“Well, my guess is she’ll want to see Alaya before execution,” the Doctor hummed.

“Who’s Alaya?” Ariel frowned.

“Oh, right,” the Doctor nodded. “We sort of kidnapped a Silurian.”

“You, what?!” Ariel exclaimed. 

“Long story, bit hard to explain but we had to get you back,” the Doctor insisted.

“Oh, Doctor,” Ariel sighed. “I’m gone for five minutes and you’ve taken to kidnapping.”

“What can I say I think more logically with you in my head,” the Doctor smiled and Ariel giggled.

Restac set up a large holographic screen that beamed right into the room Rory and the others were in. Once it was turned on and operational. She stepped forward and began speaking.

“Who is the ape leader?” She asked.

“Y’know I really wish she’d stop calling us apes,” Ariel moaned.

“They can’t help it,” the Doctor shrugged. “Last they saw you lot, you all were still apes.”

“I know but it’s sort of offensive when we’ve evolved past that,” Ariel frowned.

“Who is the ape leader?” Restac repeated when nobody from their side had stepped forward. 

Ariel smiled softly when Rory stepped forward. It was always strange to think how before the Doctor they had been leading ordinary, dull lives and now when traveling with him whenever he was indisposed one of them was forced to speak on behalf of mankind and make decisions for the human race. It was mind numbing to realize the weight they carried on their shoulders.

“I speak for the humans. Some of us, anyway,” Rory shrugged.

“Do you understand who we are?” Restac prompted. 

“Sort of,” Rory nodded. “A bit. Not really,” he sighed and Ariel snorted in amusement at his words.

“We have ape hostages,” Restac announced and the camera she was speaking into moved to show the two columns where the five of them were shackled.

“Doctor! Ariel! Amy!” Rory exclaimed with large eyes.

“Mo!” A woman Ariel assumed to be Mo’s wife gasped, running over to the camera to see him. “Mo, are you okay?”

“I'm fine, love. I've found Elliot. I'm bringing him home,” Mo promised and his wife sighed in relief.

“Amy, I thought I'd lost you,” Rory breathed.

“What, cause I was sucked into the ground? You're so clingy,” Amy sighed.

“Amy!” Ariel giggled.

“Tony Mack!” Nasreen exclaimed.

“Having fun down there?” Tony chuckled.

“Not to interrupt, but just a quick reminder to stay calm,” the Doctor nodded to the group.

“Yeah, don’t start panicking on us,” Ariel instructed, wincing at the very idea of the trio getting scared when their lives may very well depend on them.

“Show me Alaya,” Restac instructed. “Show me, and release her immediately unharmed, or we kill your friends one by one,” she warned.

“No,” Mo’s wife gasped.

“Ambrose,” Rory warned, pulling the woman from the screen.

“Steady now, everyone,” the Doctor hummed.

“Ambrose, stop it!” Tony snapped.

“Get off me, Dad,” Ambrose whined. “We didn’t start this,” she sighed into the camera.

“Let Rory deal with this, Ambrose, eh?” The Doctor requested.

“Rory has a better idea of what to say, Ambrose,” Ariel told her but that didn’t get her to move even an inch from the camera.

“We are not doing what you say any more. Now, give me back my family!” Ambrose snapped.

“Oh, God,” Ariel winced.

“No,” Restac sneered. “Execute the girl,” she commanded her forces and they tore Amy out of her shackles and placed her front and center for them all to see.

“No, wait, stop!” Ariel yelled.

“No!” Rory bellowed. “No, wait!”

“Rory!” Amy cried.

“She's not speaking for us,” Rory insisted, practically shoving Ambrose away from the camera.

“Please don’t do this!” Ariel begged.

“There’s no need for this!” The Doctor shouted.

“Listen, listen,” Rory pleaded. “Whatever you want, we'll do it.”

“Aim,” Restac commanded and her forces raised their weapons at Amy.

“Amy!” Rory cried.

“Rory!” Amy yelled.

“Stop, just please stop!” Ariel shouted.

“Don’t do this!” The Doctor begged.

“No!” Rory bellowed. The camera was turned off by one of Restac’s women just then, shielding Rory from the view of Amy in her last moment.s

“Fire!” Restac yelled, but before she could shoot and kill Amy, a voice from the entrance stopped her in her tracks.

“Stop!” The man snapped, marching in beside Malohkeh. “You want to start a war while the rest of us sleep, Restac?” The man prompted.

“The apes are attacking us,” Restac gasped.

“You're our protector, not our commander, Restac,” he reminded her. “Unchain them,” he instructed.

“I do not recognise your authority at this time, Eldane,” Restac snapped.

“Well, then you must shoot me,” Eldane shrugged. 

Restac winced and her face screamed that she’d rather do anything but shoot the older man. “You woke him just to undermine me,” she accused Malokeh and the man smiled and nodded.

“We’re not monsters,” Malohkeh sighed. “And neither are they. When I spoke to Ariel she didn’t care to harm me despite not knowing who I was. She simply wanted to find and ensure the safety of her friend. Who are we if we do not regard them in the same manner?”

“What is it about apes you love so much, hmm?” Restac wondered.

“While you slept, they've evolved,” Malohkeh hummed. “I've seen it for myself,” he said, smiling kindly at Ariel who grinned at him in return.

“We used to hunt apes for sport,” Restac scoffed. “When we came underground, they bred and polluted this planet.”

“Shush now, Restac,” Eldane sighed, hushing her as though she were an unruly child. “Go and play soldiers. I'll let you know if I need you,” he assured her.

“You'll need me, then we'll see,” Restac snapped. She left the court and her soldiers followed leaving Malohkeh and Eldane to unchain the prisoners.

Malohkeh walked up to Ariel and helped uncuff her while she smiled gratefully at him. “Thank you,” Ariel sighed. 

“You don’t need to thank me,” Malohkeh shook his head. “Restac overstepped her boundaries. She still sees you as the apes from centuries ago.”

Ariel chuckled as she was released from her shackles. “I noticed. Still,” she nodded. “Thank you.”

“It’s my pleasure,” Malohkeh smiled.

Ariel rushed over to the Doctor and helped him get uncuffed.

“Was it just my imagination or did that screen cut out before Amy was supposed to be executed?” The Doctor asked.

“It did,” Ariel nodded. “Why?”

“Because right now, Rory may be thinking his fiancée is dead,” the Doctor reminded her and Ariel’s eyes inflated.

“Oh, God,” she gasped. “Do you want me to ask them to help us try and get it working again or have you got it covered?” 

“Ah, I’ve got it covered,” the Doctor smirked as his hands were freed just in time for him to pull his sonic screwdriver out of his suit. 

Ariel grinned at the sight. “Okay, I’m gonna go uncuff Amy. I love you.”

The Doctor kissed her quickly and smiled. “Love you too,” he said before marching up to the screen to sonic it on again.

Ariel chuckled as she walked up to Amy and found the ginger panting heavily as she leant against the column. 

“Silurians got you in a whirlwind have they?” Ariel chuckled. 

“I was just about to be executed,” Amy reminded her.

“And now you’re safe,” Ariel smiled. 

“This is all a bit exhausting,” Amy sighed. “I could do with a long nap when it’s over,” she chuckled.

“Ah, it’s more fun this way,” Ariel shook her head. “You get the adrenaline rushes,” she smiled and Amy laughed.

“Er, Eldane, Malohkeh?” The Doctor prompted. “Have you got any way for our people to come down here and bring Alaya?”

“Yes,” Eldane nodded. “I can ask for my people to send some transport discs up for them.”

“That’s all well and good, but how do they get back down?” The Doctor wondered.

“What do you mean?” Ariel frowned. “Doesn’t a transport disc just go both ways?”

“Not exactly,” the Doctor shook his head. “It’s easy to send one up but unless you have the proper technology, it’s a tad more difficult to bring it down under the Earth.”

“We use geothermal energy and gravity bubble technology,” Malohkeh explained. “It’s our usual method of travel,” he nodded. “It will be able to carry your friends.”

“Okay,” the Doctor grinned. “Blimey, that’s cool.”

Ariel chuckled and shook her head as she turned back to Amy. “He’s like a kid with a new toy when he learns these things,” she chuckled and Amy laughed and nodded.

“Rory! Hello!” The Doctor exclaimed once he got the screen working again and Rory’s face appeared before them.

“Where’s Amy?” Rory asked automatically.

“She's fine. Look, here, she is,” the Doctor assured him, moving the camera to show Ariel finishing helping the ginger out of her cuffs.

Ariel giggled and waved at the camera while Rory just hung his head and sighed in relief. 

“Oh, thank God,” Rory gasped. 

“Keeping you on your toes,” Amy smirked and Ariel laughed, wrapping an arm around her friend as she marched her out of the shot of the camera to introduce her to Malohkeh.

“No time to chat. Listen, you need to get down here. Go to the drill storeroom. There's a large patch of earth in the middle of the floor. The Silurians are going to send up transport discs to bring you back down using geothermal energy and gravity bubble technology. It's how they travel and frankly, it's pretty cool. Bring Alaya. We hand her over, we can land this after all. All going to work, promise. Got to dash. Hurry up,” the Doctor instructed and with that, he cut off the cameras.

The Doctor turned to Eldane, who was just returning after sending the command to send up the transport discs, Ariel and Nasreen. “Okay, you, you, and you all take seats at the table right here,” he instructed. “Ariel, Nasreen, sit across from Eldane. You lot are gonna have a discussion because I'd say you've got a fair bit to talk about,” he sighed.

“How so?” Eldane wondered.

“You both want the planet. You both have a genuine claim to it,” the Doctor nodded.

“Are you authorised to negotiate on behalf of humanity?” Eldane wondered, frowning at the Doctor.

“Me?” The Doctor scoffed. “No. But they are.”

“What?” Nasreen gasped, her eyes inflating at the Doctor’s words.

“What, no, you’re far more authorised than I am,” Ariel sighed, shaking her head at the Doctor.

“Don’t be silly,” the Doctor smiled. “Ariel Parsons and Nasreen Chaudhry, speaking for the planet? Humanity couldn't have better ambassadors,” he grinned at Ariel. “Come on, who has more fun than us?”

Before Ariel could scream about how she wasn’t ready to speak for a future version of humanity, Amy rushed up to the Doctor with a curious smile and cut her anxiety off.

“Is this what happens, in the future? The planet gets shared? Is that what we need to do?” Amy wondered.

“Er, what are you talking about?” Nasreen frowned.

“Oh Nasreen, sorry,” the Doctor sighed. “Probably worth mentioning at this stage, Amy, Ariel and I travel in time a bit,” he shrugged.

“A bit?” Ariel scoffed. He had wanted to take her to visit Queen Victoria and Prince Albert for her nineteenth birthday then afterwards take her to the year five billion to enjoy some of the best chocolate cake Earth had to offer.

“Anything else?” Nasreen prompted.

“There are fixed points through time where things must always stay the way they are,” the Doctor nodded. “This is not one of them. This is an opportunity. A temporal tipping point. Whatever happens today, will change future events, create its own timeline, its own reality. The future pivots around you, here, now. So do good, for humanity, and for Earth.”

“Right,” Ariel sighed. “No pressure, then,” she mumbled.

“We can't share the planet,” Nasreen shook her head. “Nobody on the surface is going to go for this idea. It is just too big a leap,” she insisted.

“Come on,” the Doctor smiled. “Be extraordinary.”

“Oh, Nasreen, the Earth is a big place,” Ariel shrugged. “There must be something we can work out.”

Nasreen frowned for a moment before taking a deep breath. “Okay, let’s give this a shot,” she nodded.

“Okay,” the Doctor grinned. “Bringing things to order. The first meeting of representatives of the human race and Homo Reptilia is now in session. Ha!” He exclaimed and Ariel giggled at his sheer delightedness. “Never said that before. That's fab,” he hummed. “Carry on,” he nodded before looking up at Mo. “Now, Mo. Let's go and get your son,” he sighed. He marched up to the man, ready to leave but couldn’t help casting one last overjoyed look over his shoulder. “Oh, you know, humans, and their predecessors shooting the breeze. Never thought I'd see it,” he chuckled.

“Oh, go get Elliot!” Ariel exclaimed, grinning at the Doctor.

“Right,” the Doctor nodded. He rushed out with Mo and was only gone for a few seconds before running back in, tipping Ariel’s head up and kissing her deeply. When he pulled away he smiled at her. “Bye.”

“Bye,” she grinned and with that, he ran out to truly go after Elliot this time.

Ariel turned to Nasreen and Eldane and sighed. “Right, so where do we start?” 

They began discussing whether or not the Silurians would be able to hold a presence on Earth and if so where and Ariel grew frustrated as she found Nasreen was irritatingly pessimistic when addressing the whole scenario.

“We lived on the surface of the planet long before you did. Our sole purpose has been to return to our rightful place,” Eldane insisted.

“But the Earth has changed since you’ve last been on it,” Ariel reminded him with a nod. “Species have evolved and civilisations on the surface have uprooted. You’ve got a species that doesn’t know the full extent of that change right now.”

“And we've got a planet that can't already sustain the people who live there,” Nasreen sighed. “And you want to add a whole other species to drain resources.”

“But Nasreen, their species can offer resources,” Ariel insisted. “They’ve been sustaining themselves for hundreds of years,” she shrugged. “I’m sure they could do it on the surface.”

“Okay, but where would they go? We have cities and countries crammed full of people? Where could an entire species be placed?” Nasreen wondered.

Ariel frowned and turned to Eldane. “Is there any chance you could project a hologram of the Earth?” She wondered.

Eldane frowned curiously but nodded. He pulled out a keypad on the table and tapped around on it for a few moments before a green hologram of the planet was projected. 

Ariel stood up and sighed softly before toying with it. “We know we can’t bring a whole other race to live comfortably amongst humans in places they already live. Two different species coming together out of seemingly nowhere is too much to ask out of both humanity and the Silurians. So, what about the areas that aren't habitable to us?” She offered. “Australian outback, Sahara desert, Nevada plains,” she listed, pointing to each of the areas on the globe in turn. “They're all deserted,” she shrugged.

Nasreen grabbed her sweater and pulled the brunette back down into the seat beside her.

“Yes, fine, but what happens when their population grows and breeds and spreads? And anyway, what benefit does humanity get, and how will we ever sell this to people on the surface?” Nasreen wondered.

“If I could get a word in, maybe I could tell you,” Eldane informed them. “You give us space, we can bring new sources of energy, new methods of water supply, new medicines, scientific advances. We were a great civilisation. You provide a place for us on the surface, we'll give you knowledge and technology beyond humanity's dreams. If we work together, this planet could achieve greatness,” Eldane promised.

“There we are!” Ariel exclaimed. “Think of it this way. We tell humanity that housing the Silurians will soar humanity’s knowledge decades ahead of what we have now and this could work,” she nodded.

“Okay,” Nasreen nodded. “Now, I’m starting to see it,” she hummed.

“Brilliant,” Ariel giggled.

The Doctor walked in with Mo and Elliot following close behind as he clapped at the successes of their session. 

“Not bad for a first session,” the Doctor remarked. “More similarities than differences,” he noticed.

His eyes fell on Ariel and he marched up to her. He kissed her deeply once again and when he pulled away, he grinned at her. “Good job,” he complimented.

“Thanks,” Ariel giggled. He took a seat beside her and draped his arm over her shoulders. 

Just after he did so, there was a strange whirring sound that caused each of them to frown curiously and look to Eldane for an explanation.

“The transport has returned,” Eldane announced. “Your friends are here,” he hummed.

“And just in time,” Ariel smiled. She glanced over at Elliot and noticed him gazing at Eldane with large eyes. She giggled. “Elliot, this is Eldane,” she introduced, gesturing to the man before her.

“Hello,” Elliot smiled, seeming in awe of the fact that he was talking to a homo reptilia.

“Hello,” Eldane nodded, grinning at the boy.

“Where’s Malohkeh?” Ariel wondered, frowning at the Doctor. 

“He wanted to stay behind,” the Doctor shrugged. “Said he’d catch us up.”

“But why?” Ariel wondered.

“Dunno,” the Doctor sighed and his face fell as he glanced down at her. “Do I need to be worried?”

“No,” Ariel giggled. “Course not. You see, when a bloke tries to knock me unconscious with some strange gas, my first thought isn’t generally that he’s snog worthy.”

The Doctor barked out a laugh and pulled her close. “Didn’t think so, but I never know when to be concerned,” he sighed.

“Well, that’s better than my always being concerned,” Ariel shrugged. 

The Doctor smiled softly and kissed the top of her head. “I like it when you’re always concerned. It’s adorable.”

“I always thought overbearing and frustrating, but adorable works too,” she giggled. 

The Doctor laughed and hugged her close to his chest. Just after he did so, Rory peered into the room warily, clearly anxious and confused in the underground city.

“Here they are,” the Doctor announced. Rory’s eyes widened and he walked in, followed by Ambrose.

“Rory!” Amy exclaimed and ran up to hug her fiancé.

“Mum!” Elliot grinned. He ran up to wrap his mother in a hug as well and Ambrose smiled and hugged him back just as tightly.

Just after them, Tony walked in carrying what looked to be a body wrapped in an orange quilt. The Doctor and Ariel’s smiles both fell at the sight of it. 

“No,” Ariel gasped.

“Something’s wrong,” the Doctor mumbled.

They both got up from the bench and walked to meet Tony as he marched into the room.

“Doctor, what's he carrying?” Amy mumbled, not allowing herself to take in the bodily shape hidden beneath the quilt.

“No. Don't do this. Tell me you didn't do this,” the Doctor begged.

“Oh, God,” Ariel moaned, turning away, unsure if she wanted to see what was beneath that quilt.

Tony placed the body on the ground and the Doctor knelt before him. Ariel took a deep breath and knelt by his side a moment after. The Doctor swallowed harshly and grabbed Ariel’s hand before finding the nerve to lift the quilt off of the face.

It was none other than the dead body of Alaya.

Ariel groaned and hung her head as the Doctor placed the quilt back over her face. 

“You have to do it,” Ariel sighed.

“What did you do?” The Doctor asked, his voice carrying that dangerous tone that began to reveal he couldn’t care less about how he reacted in that moment. 

Ariel almost didn’t want to try and calm him down as her rage was beginning to mirror his. Alaya was their only bargaining chip and now she was dead. 

“It was me. I did it,” Ambrose confessed.

“Mum?” Elliot gasped, turning to face his mother with large eyes. 

“I just wanted you back,” Ambrose insisted.

“And you thought his was the way to do it?” Ariel scoffed. “Murdering the one chance we had at peace?!”

Elliot appeared disgusted with his mother and when she tried to pull him back into a hug, he pulled away and headed between Ariel and his own father who didn’t seem to recognize his wife at that moment.

The Doctor turned with large eyes, realizing how this must look to Eldane. “I’m sorry. I didn't know. You have to believe me, they're better than this,” he insisted.

“This is our planet!” Ambrose exclaimed and everyone in the room seemed to be turning away from her in disgust but she had lost the will to care.

“We had a chance here,” the Doctor sighed.

“Leave us alone,” Ambrose begged.

“In the future, when you talk about this, you tell people there was a chance but you were so much less than the best of humanity,” the Doctor snapped.

“Right now, in this moment, you are the very worst of humanity,” Ariel nodded. “Those who are willing to kill just because they’re scared,” she sighed.

At the very worst moment, Restac and her troops marched in the room.

“My sister!” Restac exclaimed.

“Oh, God,” Ariel mumbled. 

Restac’s eyes fell upon the quilt and her face fell. She marched over and knelt beside the body and when she lifted up the quilt and spotted Alaya’s face, she appeared near tears.

“Oh,” Restac gasped and Ariel squeezed her eyes shut. “And you want us to trust these apes, Doctor?” Restac scoffed.

“One woman. She was scared for her family. She is not typical,” the Doctor insisted.

“I think she is,” Restac sneered.

“Restac, please she is far from demonstrating the potential of humanity,” Ariel promised.

“One person let us down, but there is a whole race of dazzling, peaceful human beings up there,” the Doctor assured her, gesturing to every human in the room but Ambrose. “You were building something here. Come on. An alliance could work,” he insisted.

“It's too late for that, Doctor,” Ambrose said.

“Why?” The Doctor wondered.

“Oh, God, what have you done now?” Ariel moaned.

Ambrose pulled out a stopwatch and glanced at the time left. “Our drill is set to start burrowing again in fifteen minutes,” she announced.

“What?” Nasreen gasped.

“Oh, you’ve got to me kidding me!” Ariel snapped.

“What choice did I have?” Tony asked with a small shrug. “They had Elliot.”

“Yeah, and they weren’t doing a thing to him!” Ariel exclaimed. “You can ask him yourself! They didn’t hurt one of us, but you didn’t stop to think of that bit did you?” She sighed and Ambrose’s eyes grew wide at her words. The mother had assumed they were hurting or even torturing her family, she never stopped to think that there was a possibility they were all completely fine.

“Don't do this,” the Doctor begged. “Don't call their bluff.”

“Let us go back,” Ambrose requested. “And you promise to never come to the surface ever again. We'll walk away, leave you alone,” she assured them.

Restac clenched her jaw and glared at the woman, fury flowing off her in waves. 

“Execute her!” Restac roared. 

“No!” The Doctor cried. He was the only one to bolt forward and pull Ambrose out of the line of fire.

“Everybody, back to the lab. Run!” The Doctor cried and they all ran back through a tunnel leading them to the lab.

Ariel stayed beside the Doctor as he pulled out his sonic and used it on their weapons to spark them out of the hands of the Silurians.

“Execute all the apes!” Restac bellowed.

“Come on,” the Doctor gasped. He grabbed Ariel’s hand and ran before they had a chance to aim their weapons in her direction.

Once the Silurians began closing in again, the Doctor spun around to Ariel and greeted her with wide eyes and dilated pupils.

“They won’t hesitate when killing you. I have a chance. Go with the others and I’ll meet you in the lab,” the Doctor instructed.

“No, I’m not leaving you,” Ariel shook her head.

“And I love you for that, I do,” the Doctor nodded. “But the lab is not too far from here and I can’t risk you being shot before I can even react,” he sighed. 

“I don’t care about the risk, Doctor,” Ariel insisted. “I don’t want to leave then have to face you never returning to the lab.”

The Doctor smiled and kissed her forehead. “You are magnificent, Ariel Parsons,” he sighed. “And I’m sorry,” he nodded.

“What?” Ariel frowned.

“Rory?” He prompted.

Rory walked up and grabbed Ariel by her waist. “Come on,” Rory sighed.

“What?!” Ariel exclaimed. “No, no!” She cried, kicking against Rory. “Let me go!”

“The Doctor will be fine,” Rory assured her.

“You don’t know that!” Ariel yelled. “Let me go!”

“Sorry,” Rory mumbled as he bolted into the laboratory and closed the door behind them.

“Rory!” Ariel cried. 

“You have to let him do this, Ariel,” Rory nodded. “He’s the only one that can slow them down with even a chance of making it out alive.”

“I hate the pair of you for this,” Ariel spat.

“I know,” Rory sighed.

She waited for what felt like ages but was likely a matter of mere minutes until the Doctor rushed inside and sealed the door behind him.

Ariel ran up to him and jumped into his arms. “You’re okay,” she breathed.

“Hey, course I’m okay. I’m the King of Okay,” the Doctor smiled, rubbing her back soothingly.

“No, you’re not. You’re hardly ever okay,” Ariel reminded him. “But now that I know you’re okay,” she sighed as she fell down and out of his arms. She smacked him hard across the cheek. “Don’t you  _ ever  _ do that to me again!” Ariel snapped. “You hear me?!”

“Ow! Yes! Okay!” The Doctor cried, raising his hands in surrender.

“Brilliant,” Ariel giggled. 

The Doctor sighed softly, shaking his head at the woman he loved. He turned to the group and took a deep breath. “Elliot, you and your dad keep your eyes on that screen. Let me know if we get company,” he instructed, gesturing to a screen to left of the father and son duo. The Doctor marched up to Ambrose and snatched the stopwatch out of her hands before tossing it to Amy. “Amy, keep reminding me how much time I haven't got,” he instructed.

“Okay. Um, er, twelve minutes till drill impact,” Amy announced.

“Ariel, you’re with me, I need my second head,” the Doctor said and Ariel grinned, skipping up to his side as he approach Tony who had fallen into a seat in the laboratory and was sweating immensely.

“Tony Mack!” The Doctor exclaimed. “Sweaty forehead, dilated pupils. What are you hiding?” He asked.

Tony pulled open his shirt and revealed green veins spreading across his chest. 

“Blimey, has this grown or did it start off this way?” Ariel asked.

“Grown,” Tony nodded. 

The Doctor pulled out his sonic and scanned the green veins.

“Tony, what happened?” Nasreen gasped.

“Alaya's sting,” Tony said. “She said there's no cure. I'm dying, aren't I?”

The Doctor plugged the readings from his sonic into the controls of the laboratory and frowned at the DNA molecule that appeared.

“You're not dying, you're mutating,” the Doctor hummed.

“How do I stop it?” Tony wondered.

The Doctor glanced down at Ariel. Usually when his mind turned up blank, she had the idea and vice versa it was part of the reason why they worked so well together.

“When Malohkeh was examining us he said first step was decontamination then dissection,” Ariel remembered. “Maybe, we can use the decontamination on him,” she offered.

“Decontamination program,” the Doctor hummed. “Might work,” he nodded. “Don't know. Eldane, can you run the program on Tony?” He asked.

Eldane nodded and immediately got to work. 

“Doctor, shedload of those creatures coming our way,” Mo announced. “We're surrounded in here.”

“And now the next problem to deal with,” Ariel sighed.

“So, question is, how we do stop the drill given we can't get there in time? Plus, also, how do we get out, given that we're surrounded?” The Doctor wondered.

“There’s gotta be something we can do to the drill from here to stop it,” Ariel insisted with a nod.

“Nasreen, how do you feel about an energy pulse channelled up through the tunnels to the base of the drill?” The Doctor wondered.

“To blow up my life's work?” Nasreen scoffed.

“Yes. Sorry,” the Doctor winced. “No nice way of putting that,” he shrugged.

Nasreen thought for a moment before sighing. “Right, well, you're going to have to do it before the drill hits the city, in er-.”

“Eleven minutes forty seconds,” Amy provided.

“Yes. Squeaky bum time,” the Doctor smiled.

“Yes, but the explosion is going to cave in all the surrounding tunnels, so we have to be out and on the surface by then,” Nasreen reminded him.

“But we can't get past Restac's troops,” Rory reasoned. 

“And it’s not like there are any transport discs in here,” Ariel sighed.

“I can help with that,” Eldane nodded.

“How?” Ariel wondered.

“Toxic Fumigation,” Eldane answered. “An emergency failsafe meant to protect my species from infection. A warning signal to occupy cryo-chambers. After that, citywide fumigation by toxic gas. Then the city shuts down.”

“You could end up killing your own people,” Amy frowned.

“Only those foolish enough to follow Restac,” Eldane shook his head. 

“Eldane, are you sure about this?” The Doctor prompted, raising an eyebrow at the man.

“My priority is my race's survival,” Eldane nodded. “The Earth isn't ready for us to return yet,” he sighed.

“No,” the Doctor mumbled.

“Ten minutes, Doctor,” Amy announced.

“But maybe it should be,” the Doctor sighed. “So, here's a deal. Everybody listening. Eldane, you activate shutdown. I'll amend the system, set your alarm for a thousand years time. A thousand years to sort the planet out. To be ready. Pass it on. As legend, or prophesy, or religion, but somehow make it known. This planet is to be shared,” he instructed with a firm nod.

“Yeah. I get you,” Elliot smiled and nodded and Ariel giggled.

That kid was fantastic.

“Nine minutes, seven seconds,” Amy informed them.

“Yes,” the Doctor nodded. “Fluid controls, my favourite. Energy pulse. Timed, primed and set. Before we go, energy barricade. Need to cancel it out quickly.”

“Fumigation pre-launching,” Eldane announced.

“There's not much time for us to get from here to the surface, Doctor,” Rory said.

“Ah ha, super-squeaky bum time,” the Doctor chuckled. “Get ready to run for your lives. Now.”

“But the decontamination program on your friend hasn't started yet,” Eldane frowned.

“We don’t have much time left,” Ariel reasoned.

“Well, go. All of you, go!” Tony cried.

“No, we're not leaving you here,” Ambrose shook her head automatically.

“Grandad,” Elliot breathed. He ran up to Tony and hugged him tightly.

“Now you look after your Mum,” Tony instructed. “You mustn't blame her. She only did what she thought was right.”

“I'm not going to see you again, am I?” Elliot sighed.

“I'll be here, always,” Tony promised, placing his palm on Elliot’s chest. “I love you, boy. You be sure he gets home safe,” he instructed, passing Elliot back to his mother.

“This is my fault,” Ambrose sobbed.

“No, I can't go back up there,” Tony shook his head. “I'd be a freak show. The technology down here's my only hope.”

“I love you, Dad,” Ambrose sighed.

“Go. Go,” Tony nodded her on.

“Come on,” Mo mumbled. He grabbed his wife and began slowly guiding her away from her father.

“Go on,” Tony instructed.

“Toxic fumigation initiated. Return to cryo-chambers,” the computer announced.

“Check the screen!” Ariel called.

“Toxic fumigation initiated. Return to cryo-chambers,” the computer repeated.

Amy ran up to the screen and watched with wide eyes as Restac’s forces retreated and she quickly followed. “They're going,” Amy nodded. “We're clear.”

They all ran up to the door and the Doctor got it open for them to begin running out.

“Okay, everyone follow Nasreen,” the Doctor instructed. “Look for a blue box. Get ready to run.”

“Return to cryo-chambers,” the computer instructed.

The Doctor turned to Eldane with a sigh. “I’m sorry.”

“We genuinely had a chance there,” Ariel nodded.

“I thought for a moment, our race and the humans-,” Eldane began.

“Yeah, me too,” the Doctor sighed.

“Doctor, We've got less than six minutes,” Amy warned him.

“Go. Go!” The Doctor exclaimed. “We’re right behind you,” he promised as he took Ariel’s hand.

Amy nodded and ran out after the group while the Doctor turned to Nasreen.

“Let’s go,” the Doctor nodded.

“I'm not coming either,” Nasreen shook her head.

“What?” The Doctor frowned.

“What do you mean you’re not coming?” Ariel asked. “What do you plan on doing here?”

“We're going to hibernate with them, me and Tony,” Nasreen said with a short nod.

“Doctor, Ariel, you must go,” Eldane insisted.

“I can be decontaminated when we're woken. All the time in the world,” Tony shrugged.

“But, Nasreen, you-,” the Doctor began.

“No, this is perfect,” Nasreen assured him with a shake of her head. “I don't want to go. I've got what I was digging for. I can't leave when I've only just found it.”

Before the Doctor and Ariel could even come up with a response, Amy raced back into the lab. 

“Ariel! Doctor!” Amy cried.

Ariel turned to Amy with large eyes and sighed at the Doctor. They couldn’t stop and try and convince Nasreen otherwise. They had to go.

“Thank you, Doctor,” Nasreen smiled and nodded to the Doctor.

“The pleasure was all mine,” the Doctor grinned. He hugged Nasreen quickly before turning to Ariel and grabbing her hand once again.

“Come and look for us,” Nasreen smiled.

The Doctor granted them one last kind nod before turning and running out of the laboratory with Ariel and Amy.

They ran through the city back to the Tardis just in time to find Rory beginning to run back after them.

“Other way, idiot,” Amy chuckled and Rory smiled at the sight of them before joining them running back to the Tardis.

They ran back to the Tardis and found Ambrose, Mo, and Elliot all waiting outside of it. The Doctor fished his key out of his suit and unlocked it for the three of them.

“No questions, just get in. And yes, I know, it's big. Ambrose, sickbay up the stairs, left, then left again, Get yourself fixed up,” the Doctor instructed. “Come on. Five minutes and counting,” he sighed and turned around before his eyes inflated. “Not here,” he breathed.

Ariel, Amy and Rory all turned to find a bright w-shaped crack shining in the wall like from Amy’s bedroom and the Byzantium.

“Oh, my God,” Ariel gasped.

“Not now. It's getting wider,” the Doctor noticed.

“The crack on my bedroom wall,” Amy mumbled.

“And the Byzantium,” the Doctor nodded. “All through the universe, rips in the continuum. Some sort of space-time cataclysm. An explosion, maybe. Big enough to put cracks in the universe. But what?” He wondered.

“You think the cracks are from something exploding?” Ariel frowned.

“Possibly,” the Doctor nodded.

“Four minutes fifty,” Amy announced. “We have to go.”

“The Angels laughed when we didn't know. Prisoner Zero knew. Everybody knows except me,” the Doctor sighed.

“But how could they know?” Ariel wondered. “How could they know what’s happening?”

“Please, just leave it,” Amy requested.

“If something is at the center of this, how can we know what it is?” Ariel asked.

“Where there's an explosion, there's shrapnel,” the Doctor hummed. He pulled out a red handkerchief and began marching towards the crack.

“Doctor, be careful. You remember what that thing did to the Clerics on the Byzantium,” Ariel reminded him.

“I know,” the Doctor nodded. “I’ll be fine.”

“Doctor, you can’t put your hand in there!” Rory cried.

“Why not?” The Doctor smiled. He stuck his hand inside the crack and was allowed a moment of pause before the crack began shining even brighter making the Doctor scream in pain though he persisted in leaving his hand in the crack.

“Argh!” The Doctor cried. “I've got something!” He announced.

“What is it?” Amy wondered with a small frown.

He pulled his hand back out and fell to the ground as he frowned at the small bit of shrapnel he had wrapped in the red handkerchief.

“I don’t know,” the Doctor admitted as he stared at the handkerchief.

Just then, there were soft grunts from beside the Tardis and behind some shrubbery out crawled Restac with her gun.

“Doctor?” Rory prompted, staring at Restac with large eyes.

“She didn’t go back to her cryo-chamber,” Ariel frowned.

“She was there when the gas started,” Amy nodded. “She must have been poisoned.”

“You,” Restac gasped.

“Okay, get in the Tardis, all three of you,” the Doctor instructed, looking pointedly at Ariel.

“Not a chance,” Ariel scoffed.

“You did this!” Restac shrieked.

Restac raised her weapon and Ariel’s eyes inflated. “No!” She cried. She began moving in front of the Doctor but Rory was far faster.

“Doctor!” Rory cried. He shoved the Doctor out of the way and to the ground just as Restac fired and shot him straight in the chest.

“Rory!” Amy screamed as Rory fell to the ground and they all scrambled to his side. He was sweating bullets within seconds and stared at the trio with large eyes and dilated pupils.

“Rory, can you hear me?” The Doctor breathed.

“I don’t understand,” Rory gasped.

“You’re okay, Rory. You’re okay,” Ariel assured him.

“Doctor, is he okay?” Amy frowned. “We have to get him onto the Tardis.”

The Doctor and Ariel shared a hesitant glance knowing far too well that even if they got Rory into the Tardis it would be a matter of time before Rory was gone. There was nothing to be done.

“We were on the hill. I can't die here,” Rory insisted.

“Don’t say that,” Amy mumbled, tears beginning to cloud her vision.

“You’re so beautiful,” Rory breathed, staring up into Amy’s eyes and tears began streaming down the ginger’s face. “I’m sorry,” he muttered. He let out a last dying breath and Ariel stared at him with large eyes as Amy began sobbing harder.

“Doctor, help him,” Amy begged, though they both saw a part of her knew neither of them could help Rory.

Just then, the time energy from the crack began gracing Rory’s feet and the Doctor gently pulled Ariel away as he watched it.

“Amy, move away from the light. If it touches you, you'll be wiped from history. Amy, move away now,” the Doctor instructed but Amy seemed adamant on staying by Rory’s side.

“No. I am not leaving him,” Amy insisted. “We have to help him.”

“The light's already around him. We can't help him,” the Doctor sighed.

Ariel got up and with teary eyes she began heading back to the Tardis while Amy stayed kneeling over Rory’s body.

“I am not leaving him!” Amy cried.

“We have to,” the Doctor sighed.

“Amy, come on, please,” Ariel begged.

“No!” Amy snapped.

The Doctor glanced at Ariel and the brunette sighed softly before nodding. The Doctor walked up to Amy and wrapped his arms around her waist, dragging her backwards to the Tardis.

“I’m sorry,” the Doctor said as Ariel opened the Tardis door for him to pull Amy back inside.

“Get off me!” Amy yelled, kicking against the Doctor as he dragged her inside.

“I’m sorry,” the Doctor sighed.

“Get off me!” Amy snapped. “No!”

The Doctor pulled Amy inside and Ariel slammed the Tardis door shut before he soniced it so Amy couldn’t run back out and be absorbed by the light as well.

“No! No! No! No! Let me out. Please let me out,” Amy begged. “I need to get to Rory,” she sighed and her eyes widened when she spotted the light beginning to absorb Rory’s body. “That light. If his body's absorbed, I'll forget him. He'll never have existed. You can't let that happen,” she insisted and rather than allow her to run back out, the Doctor started up the time rotors. “What are you doing?!” Amy cried, she ran up to him and tried to stop him from moving the Tardis and Ariel and the Doctor fought to pull her away.

“Doctor, no! No! No! No!” Amy bellowed.

“Amy, Amy, let go of the Tardis!” Ariel shouted, pulling her friend away from the controls. Once the Tardis dematerialized and Amy saw there was nothing to be done, she broke down sobbing in Ariel’s arms

“We can't just leave him there,” she sobbed.

“It’s okay,” Ariel insisted. “You can remember him,” she assured the redhead.

“Keep him in your mind,” the Doctor instructed with a nod as Ariel guided Amy over to the jumpseat and sat her down. “Don't forget him. If you forget him, you'll lose him forever.”

“When we were on the Byzantium, I still remembered the Clerics because I am a time traveller now, you said,” Amy remembered.

“They weren't part of your world. This is different. This is your own history changing,” the Doctor sighed.

“You grew up with him, Amy. Everything about your life will be changing,” Ariel said. “But it’ll be okay if you keep him in your mind.”

“Don't tell me it's going to be okay,” Amy sobbed. “You have to make it okay.”

“It's going to be hard, but you can do it, Amy,” the Doctor insisted. “Tell us about Rory, eh? Fantastic Rory. Funny Rory. Gorgeous Rory,” he smiled. 

“You can do this Amy,” Ariel assured her.

“Amy, listen to me. Do exactly as I say. Amy, please. Keep concentrating. You can do this,” the Doctor said, squeezing her hands tightly and greeting her with wide eyes.

“I can’t,” Amy sobbed, shaking her head.

“Yes, you can,” Ariel nodded.

“You can,” the Doctor agreed. “You can do it. I can't help you unless you do. Come on. We can still save his memory. Come on, Amy. Please. Come on, Amy, come on. Amy, please. Don't let anything distract you. Remember Rory. Keep remembering. Rory's only alive in your memory. You must keep hold of him. Don't let anything distract you. Rory still lives in your mind,” he assured her.

The Tardis came to a sudden halt and they were all thrown backwards. Amy went falling off the jumpseat and Amy’s engagement ring fell off the console and onto the floor before Ariel and the Doctor.

Ariel glanced at the Doctor with wide eyes as Amy got her bearings and sighed.

“What were you saying?” Amy asked.

Ariel squeezed her eyes shut and winced. She had forgotten. Rory had been wiped from Amy’s memory completely.

“I have seen some things today, but this is beyond mad,” Mo sighed as he, his wife and his son all headed down the steps back to the console room.

Amy grabbed the stopwatch and stared at it with wide eyes.

“Doctor. Five seconds till it all goes up,” Amy announced.

They all got up and scrambled out the door just to see the large mining device in the distance go up in flames.

“All of Nasreen’s work just erased,” Amy sighed.

“Good thing she's not here to see it. She's going to give Tony hell when they wake up,” Mo chuckled.

“Oh, I can only imagine,” Ariel chuckled. 

Meanwhile, the Doctor and Ambrose marched up to the church porch and Ariel stayed beside Amy. It was strange to know she had to talk to the woman about anything about the dead fiancé she had just forgotten. 

“Blimey, I’m exhausted,” Ariel moaned.

“I know right,” Amy chuckled. “This one was a long one, and I almost got dissected,” she frowned.

“Almost,” Ariel reminded her with a small smile. “I saved the day.”

“Just barely,” Amy scoffed.

“Oi, if it weren’t for me you’d have a pretty little scar from your sternum to your naval,” Ariel said and Amy chuckled as the Doctor walked back up to them, sulking as he wrapped his arm around Ariel.

“You're very quiet,” Amy remarked with a small frown. “Oh. Hey, look. There I am again. Hello, me!” She called, waving to a lone individual on the other side of the valley.

The Doctor watched her, frowning at how her smile fell when she watched her future self.

“Are you okay?” The Doctor asked.

“I thought I saw someone else there for a second,” Amy muttered, she took a deep breath and turned back to the Doctor with a newly recovered smile. “We need a holiday,” she hummed, nodding to herself and Ariel. “Didn't we talk about Rio?” She prompted.

“You go in,” the Doctor nodded. “Just fix this lock. Keeps jamming,” he shrugged.

“You boys and your locksmithery,” Amy smiled. “You coming, Ariel?” She prompted.

“In a second,” Ariel nodded. She gestured to the Doctor with a small smile and Amy nodded.

“Alright,” Amy sighed. “I will put the kettle on,” she said before marching into the Tardis.

Ariel smiled quickly at her before turning to the Doctor and raising an eyebrow. “What is it?”

The Doctor gulped harshly and pulled the piece of shrapnel from the crack out of his suit. 

Ariel’s eyes widened and she walked over to his side as he unveiled what was inside the crack. On one side the item was just a deep blue, but on the other, there was a fragmented piece that said ‘Police Telephone Free’.

The Doctor sucked in a sharp breath and pressed the piece against his Tardis where those exact words fit perfectly.

“That’s not possible,” Ariel gasped.

“The Tardis is at the center of the explosion,” the Doctor mumbled. “That’s why the Angels laughed that’s why Prisoner Zero tried to take the mickey.”

“But how?” Ariel wondered. “How can the Tardis blow up across the entire universe?”

“I don’t know,” the Doctor mumbled. “And I’m not sure if I want to know,” he admitted. He took a deep breath and wrapped the bit of the Tardis back up. “Come on,” he nodded. “We won’t find out anything here.”

“What about Amy?” Ariel wondered. “What are we going to do?”

“She wants a holiday,” the Doctor shrugged. “To make up for Rory why not take her to Arcadia?” He offered. “The Trojan Gardens,” he added with a nod.

“But how come I can remember him?” Ariel wondered. “I can remember Rory but she can’t.”

“You’re a time traveller and nothing he’s done has influenced your life personally. He isn’t in your personal history so you can remember him,” the Doctor shrugged. 

“I feel bad remembering the man Amy was engaged to but her not remembering him herself,” Ariel frowned.

“I do too,” the Doctor nodded. “Thus, the Trojan Gardens,” he smiled.

“Right then,” Ariel grinned. “Let’s go.”


	19. Vincent Van Gogh

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A couple small but necessary notes about options I made in this chapter in reference to Vincent Van Gogh. In this episode, Vincent Van Gogh is stated as having depression. There is some debate as to whether he had depression or bipolar disorder. For all we know, he could have had type 1 bipolar disorder. However, as bipolar disorder is the popular belief and I myself am bipolar, I chose to put him as bipolar.
> 
> There were a couple errors in the episode as far as Vincent's timeline goes. For starters, by 1890 he should have already cut his ear off. I did not include this fact as the show didn't simply because I wanted to use the actor as a reference for who I was writing and I would have had to contribute the hard of hearing if I incorporated this.
> 
> Another error was, at the start of the episode Doctor Black cites that Vincent Van Gogh dies in the month of June. The month they are traveling to. Later, the Doctor says Vincent will take his life in a couple of months. Officially, Vincent Van Gogh died June 29, 1890. I changed his line in that moment so it was more accurate.

The Doctor took Ariel and Amy to Arcadia and the Trojan Gardens as promised though neither of them revealed to Amy  _ why _ they were going to such nice places.

After the mini trips and vacations the Doctor took them to the Trans-Vegas Casino on a mission to free the slaves from notorious criminal and slave-dealer Hubert Crimp after Amy claimed she was missing saving people and planets again. 

On a trip to 1963 to see a Beatles concert after Ariel had expressed her interest in the band and the Doctor wanted to show off by introducing her to them, the Doctor found the Earth in ruins as the Daleks had arrived and exterminated humanity. Amy and Ariel were erased through the paradox presented and the Doctor went to Skaro to stop the Daleks. 

He found out they had used the Eye of Time from the Time War to erase humanity and he created a paradox to ensure they lost and never recovered the Eye of Time in the first place thus bringing humanity and Ariel and Amy back to him. They finished off the trip going to the Beatles concert and having a brilliant time. The Doctor introduced Ariel to the Beatles and the pair even helped them write a new song before they left to their next trip.

When Amy slept, the Doctor and Ariel went to the largest library in the universe once again and the Doctor took Ariel to meet Monet and Picasso, the ladder of which tried to teach Ariel Spanish and was sincerely insulted when she managed to screw up the phrase ‘the painting is magnificent’ with ‘the painting is shit’. They weren’t allowed to visit Picasso anymore after that. 

Afterwards, the Doctor, Ariel and Amy travelled to 1885 and prevented the Earth from being ripped apart. 

When the TARDIS fell through a wormhole, the Doctor, Ariel and Amy met Brox, a hundred year old space traveller, who had been travelling on the outer rim of the universe, failing in his mission to find alien life. The Doctor steered Brox's ship into the universe and fulfilled his wish to visit other planets.

Then, Ariel realized that she and the Doctor had hit their two year anniversary if they followed the calendar on the Tardis rather than the regular timeline of Amy’s time. 

When she told the Doctor this, he brought them to the Musée d'Orsay. Amy said she would tag along but promised not to bother them as Ariel toured across her favorite paintings from one of her favorite painters of all time.

“So this is one of the last paintings Van Gogh ever painted,” the museum tour guide introduced, gesturing to  _ Wheatfield with Crows _ . “Those final months of his life were probably the most astonishing artistic outpouring in history. It was like Shakespeare knocking off Othello, Macbeth and King Lear over the summer hols. And especially astonishing because Van Gogh did it with no hope of praise or reward. He is now-,” he continued and Amy walked up to the pair of them really quickly.

“I know I promised not to interrupt but I just wanted to say thanks for bringing me,” Amy smiled.

“You’re welcome,” the Doctor nodded.

“You're being so nice to me,” Amy remarked with a small frown. “Why is he being so nice to me?” She asked Ariel.

“I couldn’t say,” Ariel chuckled.

“I’m always nice to you,” the Doctor frowned.

“Not like this,” Amy sighed. “These places you're taking us. Arcadia, the Trojan Gardens, now this. I think it's suspicious,” she hummed.

The Doctor and Ariel gazed at each other with wide eyes. 

“What? It's not. There's nothing to be suspicious about,” the Doctor rambled anxiously and Ariel sighed softly.

“Ah, if it wasn’t suspicious before,” she moaned. 

“I was joking,” Amy frowned. “Why aren't you?”

Ariel just turned to them and pressed her finger against her lips. “Shh,” she silenced the pair of them.

The Doctor smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they walked to the back of the crowd to listen to the tour guide.

“Each of these pictures now is worth tens of millions of pounds, yet in his lifetime he was a commercial disaster. Sold only one painting, and that to the sister of a friend. We have here possibly the greatest artist of all time, but when he died you could sold his entire body of work and got about enough money to buy a sofa and a couple of chairs. If you follow me now-,” he waved the crowd onward.

Ariel’s eyes widened as she spotted the Starry Night Over the Rhône. “Oh, my God, this one is my favorite!” She exclaimed, running up to it giddily.

The Doctor chuckled and smiled softly as he watched her. She was so beautiful and he was so happy to have spent two years with her traveling by his side.

“Who is it?” One of the children behind him asked.

“It’s the Doctor,” another child answered.

The Doctor turned to them with a curious frown and found the schoolboys looking at a painting of Doctor Gachet in the museum.

“He was the doctor who took care of Van Gogh when he started to go mad,” the child said.

“I knew that,” the first schoolboy scoffed and the Doctor smiled softly as the children moved on to the next painting.

“Look. There it is,” Amy gasped, running up to the  _ Church in Auvers. _ “The actual one.”

The Doctor and Ariel walked up behind her and smiled at the painting. 

“I love the detail in this one,” Ariel sighed. “The little points of the church that he must have spent ages trying to get right.”

“Yes,” the Doctor nodded. “You can almost feel his hand painting it right in front of you, carving the colours into shapes,” he hummed. “Wait a minute,” he frowned, and took a step closer to the painting, narrowing his eyes at the painting.

“What?”  Amy asked.

“What is it?” Ariel wondered.

“Well, just look at that,” the Doctor instructed, gesturing to the painting.

“Look where?” Ariel frowned.

“What?” Amy repeated.

“Something very not good indeed,” the Doctor hummed.

“What thing very good?” Amy asked.

“Look there, in the window of the church,” the Doctor instructed.

Amy and Ariel stepped in front of the Doctor and both narrowed their eyes at the church.

“Oh, my God,” Ariel gasped at the sight of some sort of dragon-like creature or image peering out of the window at them. 

“Is it a face?” Amy asked.

“Yes,” the Doctor sighed. “And not a nice face at all. I know evil when I see it and I see it in that window.”

“This isn’t going to be some nice anniversary trip is it?” Ariel smirked.

“Unfortunately, I don’t think so,” the Doctor muttered. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled.

“It’s fine,” Ariel scoffed. “Meeting Vincent Van Gogh makes this a thousand times better,” she grinned. “Even if it is when facing whenever the hell that is.”

“Brilliant,” the Doctor smiled. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and marched back up to the tour guide. “Excuse me,” he said, tapping the man’s shoulder. “If I can just interrupt for one second. Sorry, everyone. Routine inspection, Ministry of Art and Artiness,” he said awkwardly holding out his psychic paper as he did so. “So, er-.”

“Doctor Black,” the tour guide introduced himself with a nod.

“Yes, that's right,” the Doctor nodded, sighing softly. “Do you know when that picture of the church was painted?” He asked, gesturing to the  _ Church in Auvers _ .

“Ah, well, ah, well, what an interesting question,” Doctor Black hummed. “Most people imagine-.”

“We’re in sort of a rush, sorry,” Ariel frowned.

“We’re going to have to hurry you,” the Doctor nodded. “When was it?”

“Exactly?” Doctor Black prompted with a raised eyebrow.

“As exactly as you can,” the Doctor said. “Without a long speech, if poss,” he requested.

“Well, in that case, probably somewhere between the first and third of June,” Doctor Black shrugged.

“What year?” Ariel asked.

“1890,” Doctor Black responded. “Less than a year before, before he killed himself,” he mumbled.

“Ah,” Ariel breathed, her eyes wide at his words.

“Thank you, sir,” the Doctor nodded. “Very helpful indeed,” he hummed and smiled when his eyes fell upon Doctor Black’s bow tie. “Nice bow-tie. Bow-ties are cool,” he chuckled.

Ariel rolled her eyes and laughed at the Doctor.

“Yours is very,” Doctor Black nodded.

“Oh, thank you,” the Doctor grinned.

“Doctor,” Ariel sighed.

“Right,” the Doctor nodded. “Keep telling them stuff,” he instructed and grabbed Ariel’s hand, running up past Amy. “We need to go!” He called.

“What about the other pictures?!” Amy exclaimed as she ran after them.

“Art can wait,” the Doctor sighed. “This is life and death. We need to talk to Vincent Van Gogh.”

“So, you’re finally taking me to meet Vincent after all this time,” Ariel smiled. 

“Wish it could have been under better circumstances, but yes,” the Doctor nodded. “Happy anniversary,” he grinned. 

He wrapped his arm around Ariel’s waist and kissed her deeply before pulling away and running into the Tardis hand in hand with her.

The Tardis left the museum and reappeared in an abandoned alleyway. They all marched out of the Tardis just in time to watch a terrified cat running from them.

“Right, so, here's the plan,” the Doctor sighed. “We find Vincent and he leads us straight to the church and our nasty friend.”

“Easy peasy,” Amy nodded.

“Well, no. I suspect nothing will be easy with Mister Van Gogh,” the Doctor mumbled.

“Yeah,” Ariel sighed. “I love him, but we have no idea what state of mind he could be in with his bipolar disorder,” she shrugged.

“She’s right,” the Doctor nodded. “For all we know he could be extremely depressed and despondent at this point in time, but we still need to find him,” he shrugged. “Now, he'll probably be in the local cafe. Sort of orangey light, chairs and tables outside,” he hummed.

“Like this?” Amy prompted, pointing to an image of a painting in her exhibition guide book.

“That’s the one,” the Doctor nodded.

“Or maybe like that?” Ariel offered, pointing a finger at the café just a few feet away from them with waitresses at work inside it.

“Yeah, exactly like that,” the Doctor smiled.

They walked up to the café and Amy continued flipping through her exhibition guide book with a small smile as the Doctor turned to the manager standing just outside the café.

“Good evening,” the Doctor greeted. “Does the name Vincent Van Gogh ring a bell?” He asked.

“Don't mention that man to me,” the man spat before marching back inside.

“Fat lot of help you are,” Ariel mumbled bitterly. She knew Vincent Van Gogh wasn’t exactly liked in his time, but the manager could have at least pointed them in his direction.

“Excuse me,” the Doctor prompted a waitress behind them. “Do you know Vincent Van Gogh?”

“Unfortunately,” the waitress moaned.

“Unfortunately?” Amy prompted with a small frown.

“He's drunk, he's mad and he never pays his bills,” the waitress muttered.

“Good painter, though, eh?” The Doctor smirked and general hilarity ensued at the very idea.

“Doctor,” Ariel hissed, pulling him to the side. “Amy, get over here,” she snapped, waving the redhead to her side. “Didn’t you two listen to anything Doctor Black said?” She sighed. “Vincent Van Gogh is not loved or adored right now. His paintings are not popular and virtually nobody likes him in this time. If you two show that we do they’ll think we’re mad too.”

Before either of them could respond, a distant voice called their attention back to the café.

“Come on! Come on!” The man cried, marching out after the manager. “One painting for one drink. That's not a bad deal,” he sighed.

Ariel’s eyes inflated at the sight of the man with auburn hair marching out after the manager holding a self portrait of him. “It’s him,” she gasped. “It’s Vincent Van Gogh.”

“It wouldn't be a bad deal if the painting were any good. I can't hang that up on my walls. It'd scare the customers half to death. It's bad enough having you in here in person, let alone looming over the customers day and night in a stupid hat. You pay money or you get out!” The manager snapped.

“I’ll pay, if you like,” the Doctor offered.

Ariel frowned and smacked his chest lightly at his words. They couldn’t pay for Vincent Van Gogh’s drink. 

“What?” The manager frowned.

“It’s alright,” the Doctor assured Ariel before turning his attention back to the manager and Vincent. “Well, if you like, I'll pay for the drink,” he shrugged. “Or I'll pay for the painting and you can use the money to pay for the drink.”

“Exactly who are you?” Vincent wondered.

“Oh, we’re,” the Doctor sighed softly and smiled. “New in town,” he hummed.

“Well, in that case, you don't know three things. One, I pay for my own drinks, thank you,” Vincent said and laughter ensued across the café at his words. “Two, no one ever buys any of my paintings or they would be laughed out of town. So if you want to stay in town, I suggest you keep your cash to yourself. And three, your friends are cute, but you should keep your big nose out of other people's business. Come on, just one more drink. I'll pay tomorrow,” he pleaded with the manager.

“No,” the manager snapped.

“Or, on the other hand, slightly more compassionately, yes?” Vincent offered, raising an eyebrow in hope. 

“Or, on the other hand, to protect my business from madmen, no,” the manager repeated.

“Or-?” Vincent began again and both Ariel and Amy rolled their eyes.

At this rate, the pair of them could go on at it all night. 

“Oh look, just shut up, the pair of you,” Amy groaned. “I would like a bottle of wine, please, which I will then share with whomever I choose,” she said, glancing pointedly at Vincent.

“That could be good,” Vincent smiled.

“That’s good by me,” the manager nodded.

“Good,” Amy hummed.

The manager gave Vincent back his self-portrait before heading back inside and the four of them quickly followed.

“Good thinking, Amy,” Ariel remarked.

“Ah, I just wanted to shut them up,” Amy smiled.

They got the bottle of wine from the manager and took a seat at one of the tables with Vincent Van Gogh.

“That accent of yours,” the Doctor observed, narrowing his eyes at Amy. “You from Holland like me?”

“Yes,” the Doctor answered for her.

“No,” Amy frowned and Ariel grabbed her hand to silence her with a single warning look.

“She means yes. So, start again. Hello, I'm the Doctor,” the Doctor smiled, holding out his hand to introduce himself to Vincent.

“I knew it!” Vincent exclaimed, greeting the Doctor with wide eyes.

“”What?” Ariel frowned.

“Sorry?” The Doctor prompted.

“My brother's always sending doctors, but you won't be able to help,” Vincent sighed.

“Oh, no, not that kind of doctor,” the Doctor assured him with a shake of his head. He smiled when Vincent pulled up his self portrait and set it on the table “That's incredible, don't you think, Ariel?” He implored with a small smile. “Amy?”

“Magnificent,” Ariel sighed, grinning at the painting.

“Absolutely. One of my favourites,” Amy nodded.

“One of my favourite whats?” Vincent frowned. “You've never seen my work before.”

Amy faltered and her eyes grew wide at the realization that as far as the timeline was concerned, Vincent was absolutely right.

“Ah yes,” Amy mumbled. “One of my favourite paintings that I've ever seen, generally,” she shrugged and Ariel snorted at the poor lie.

“Then you can't have seen many paintings, then,” Vincent scoffed. “I know it's terrible. It's the best I can do,” he shrugged. He turned to Amy and narrowed his eyes at her, leaning forward in his seat as he did so. “Your hair's orange,” he remarked.

“Yes,” Amy hummed, leaning towards him as well. “So’s yours.”

“Oh my God,” Ariel snorted, rubbing her forehead in irritation.

“Yes,” Vincent nodded. “It was more orange, but now is, of course, less,” he shrugged.

“So!” The Doctor exclaimed, happily interrupting whatever was occuring between Vincent and Amy. “Er, Vincent, painted any churches recently? Any churchy plans? Are churches, chapels, religiousy stuff like that, something you'd like to get into? You know, fairly soon?” He wondered.

“Well, there is one church I'm thinking of painting when the weather is right,” Vincent shrugged.

“Brilliant,” Ariel smiled. “That’s good news.”

“That is  _ very  _ good news,” the Doctor agreed.

Just then, an older woman ran in screaming in horror and Ariel’s eyes widened automatically.

“She's been murdered! Help me!” The woman cried. 

“That, on the other hand, isn't quite such good news,” the Doctor mumbled. “Come on, you three!” He cried, running out the door and chasing after the woman. 

They ran down a short street and found the girl’s body at the very end of it. A crowd had already started to gather around her and the Doctor shoved his way through them.

“Please, let me look,” the Doctor requested. “I'm a doctor.”

They shoved their way through and Ariel gasped loudly at the sight of the girl’s body. Whatever had killed her had ripped her to shreds.

“Oh no, no, no,” the Doctor breathed.

“What sort of thing could do that do her?” Ariel mumbled.

Before the Doctor could answer, an older woman shoved her way past them and knelt before the girl. “Away, all of you vultures. This is my daughter. Giselle. What monster could have done this?” The mother gasped. She looked up and when her eyes met Vincent’s they turned stone cold. “Get away from her!” She barked.

“Okay, okay,” the Doctor nodded, raising his hands in surrender.

“Get that madman out of here!” She cried. She grabbed a stone by her side and tossed it towards Vincent, hitting the Doctor and Ariel instead. The crowd quickly followed suit and began throwing stones at the group.

They bolted out of the street and into a nearby alley away from the angry crowd.

The Doctor turned to Ariel and cupped her cheek. “Are you okay?” He mumbled and she smiled and nodded.

“I’m fine,” she assured him. The Doctor eyed her warily for a moment before nodding and wrapping his arm around her. He turned to Vincent and sighed softly.

“What about you Vincent?” The Doctor prompted. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m used to it,” Vincent sighed.

“Has anything like this murder happened here before?” The Doctor wondered.

“Only a week ago,” Vincent nodded. “It's a terrible time.”

“As I thought. As I thought,” the Doctor hummed. “Come on, we'd better get you home,” he said, clapping Vincent on the back and marching ahead.

“Where are you staying?” Vincent asked.

“Oh, thank you for the offer,” Ariel grinned.

“You’re very kind,” the Doctor hummed, nodding along with her. 

Ariel giggled and looped her arm through the Doctor’s as just behind them Vincent sighed and marched on ahead of them.

“I can’t believe we’re about to stay with Vincent Van Gogh,” Ariel smiled. “Best anniversary ever,” she hummed.

“You really like it?” The Doctor prompted, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. 

“I love it,” Ariel nodded. “You’ve been promising me a trip with Vincent Van Gogh for ages,” she moaned.

“I said I’d get round to it,” the Doctor frowned. 

“And now you’ve finally done it,” Ariel giggled and nodded. “This is even better than the Musée d'Orsay even though I’ve dreamed of going there ever since I found out they had my favorite painting from him,” she said, nodding to Vincent just a few feet ahead of them.

“Well, I’m happy you like it,” the Doctor grinned. Ariel beamed up at him and he allowed his gaze to wander to her lips. 

One of his hands tangled in her wavy hair, tipping her mouth up to receive the kiss he planted on her lips. She melted, her own hand lifting to loop around the the back of his neck, her fingers tangling in his ash brown hair as she kissed him. 

Ariel grinned against his lips and pulled him as close to her as possible. His tongue swept between her lips to stroke hers surely and Ariel couldn’t help but melt into his embrace.

“Do they do this often?” Vincent chuckled as he watched the pair.

“Normally, I’d make fun of them but it’s their anniversary,” Amy shrugged. “I can’t really be one to talk.”

They pulled away and the Doctor pulled Ariel as close to him as possible while they headed back to Vincent’s cottage. 

“Dark night,” the Doctor observed, glancing up at the sky. “Very starry.”

“Oh, I used to love nights like these,” Ariel hummed. “When I was little I would always run into the backyard with a good book and lay on the grass until it was far past my bedtime,” she chuckled.

Vincent came to a stop in front of a quaint little cottage with laundry hanging outside. “It's not much. I live on my own,” Vincent shrugged. “But you should be okay for one night. One night,” he reminded them with large eyes.

“So, we’re really going to stay with him?” Amy grinned.

“Until he paints that church,” the Doctor nodded.

“And someone’s gonna pressure him till he does so,” Ariel giggled looking pointedly at the Doctor who simply laughed and shook his head. 

“Watch out!” Vincent called over his shoulder to the trio. “That one's wet,” he informed them when he noticed Amy nearly walking into one of his just finished paintings.

“What?” Amy frowned and her eyes grew wide as she spotted the painting Vincent was referencing.  _ The Bedroom in Arles. _

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Ariel smiled, glancing over her shoulder at the painting. “I still can’t believe that nobody can see how amazing these paintings are,” she sighed.

“It’s a shame,” Amy hummed, shaking her head aimlessly at the painting. 

They headed inside while Vincent was trying to tidy up for the trio. “Sorry about all the clutter,” he sighed.

“Some clutter,” the Doctor mumbled, glancing around at the paintings littering the room.

“I've come to accept the only person who's going to love my paintings is me,” Vincent shrugged.

“Wow. I mean, really. Wow,” Amy gasped as she stepped into the small living room flooded with his paintings some of which may have even just been painted not too long ago in his eyes.

“Yeah, I know it's a mess,” Vincent sighed mistaking their admiration for disgust. “I'll have a proper clear out. I must, I really must,” he nodded.

The Doctor, Ariel and Amy all stepped around the room glancing at the pictures as though they were in a gallery. 

Ariel spotted masterpieces such as;  _ The Potato Eaters, Almond Blossom, and Green Wheat Field with Cypress.  _ Each and every single one of the paintings in the room was dazzling.

“Coffee, anyone?” Vincent called from the back room.

“No thanks,” Ariel shook her head. 

The Doctor popped into the back room with Vincent. “None for me, actually,” he breathed and his eyes nearly popped out of his head when he spotted Vincent placing the coffee pot down on one of his still life paintings. “You know, you should be careful with these. They're precious,” the Doctor said.

“Precious to me. Not precious to anyone else,” Vincent shrugged. 

“They’re precious to me!” Amy interjected, popping into the room by the Doctor’s side. 

“And me,” Ariel added, heading into the room as well.

“Well, you're very kind,” Vincent smiled. “And kindness is most welcome,” he nodded.

“Right, so, this church, then,” the Doctor hummed, clapping his hands together as he spoke. “Near here, is it?” He prompted, raising an eyebrow at the artist.

“What is it with you and the church?!” Vincent exclaimed and Ariel sighed softly as she sat down.

“Oh, just casually interested in it, you know,” the Doctor mumbled awkwardly.

“Far from casual,” Vincent scoffed. “It seems to me you never talk about anything else. He's a strange one,” he remarked, nodding to Ariel.

“Oh, that’s alright,” Ariel smiled. “I’m strange too,” she shrugged.

The Doctor beamed down at her momentarily before returning his focus to Vincent. “Okay, so, let's talk about you, then,” he nodded as he took a seat beside Ariel in the chair she sat in and wrapped an arm around her. “What are you interested in?” He wondered.

“Well, look around,” Vincent sighed gesturing to the countless paintings. “Art. It seems to me there's so much more to the world than the average eye is allowed to see. I believe, if you look hard, there are more wonders in this universe than you could ever have dreamed of,” he smiled.

“You don’t have to tell me,” the Doctor hummed.

Vincent nodded to him and downed another cup of coffee. Ariel was slightly concerned about what may happened to him after he had several glasses of wine at the café and then multiple cups of coffee there at his home and she was right to be. 

“It's colour!” Vincent exclaimed. “Colour that holds the key. I can hear the colours. Listen to them. Every time I step outside, I feel nature is shouting at me. Come on. Come and get me. Come on. Come on! Capture my mystery!” He cried.

“Maybe you've had enough coffee now. How about some nice calming tea?” The Doctor hummed, smiling warmly at Vincent as he took his tea out of his hands.

“Er, Vincent?” Ariel prompted. “Why don’t you tell me what inspired this painting?” She suggested. She knew if she distracted his mind, he may not explode as he had done with the Doctor.

The Doctor smiled at Ariel as she guided Vincent over to his  _ Starry Night  _ painting, but his smile quickly fell when he realized someone was missing.

“Amy,” the Doctor mumbled. “Where’s Amy?” He breathed.

“I think she went outside a few minutes ago to look at some paintings,” Ariel shrugged. “Why?”

A scream just outside answered her question for her.

“No, no, no!” The Doctor cried and the three of them ran out to try and help Amy.

They found her on her hands and knees in the courtyard, gasping for air and looking horrified.

“Amy? Amy? What happened?” The Doctor said, helping the redhead to her feet.

“I don't know,” Amy mumbled. “I didn't see it. I was having a look at the paintings out here when something hit me from behind.”

“It's okay. He's gone now and we're here,” the Doctor assured her.

However, Vincent seemed to disagree. He gasped and stared with wide eyes at something in the distance. “No. No!” He cried.

“Vincent?” Ariel frowned.

“Take it easy. Take it easy!” The Doctor exclaimed, running up to him and trying to calm him down as he became distraught over some invisible force.

“What's happening? What's he doing?” Amy asked.

“I don’t know,” the Doctor shook his head. 

Vincent grabbed a pitchfork and turned to the trio with true fear in his eyes.

“Oh dear,” the Doctor mumbled.

Vincent ran straight towards them and all three of them jumped to the side as he fought off something only he could see. 

“Run. Run!” Vincent yelled.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” the Doctor nodded. “That's not a bad idea. Ariel, Amy, get back. He's having some kind of fit. I'll try to calm him down,” he told them.

Amy ran to the side while Ariel frowned at the Doctor.

“He’s not having a fit,” Ariel shook her head. 

The Doctor ran up and tried to calm Vincent down. “Easy, Vincent, easy. Look. Look, look, look. It's me, it's me, it's me. It's the Doctor, look. No-one else is here. ”

A barrel tumbled over beside the Doctor and Ariel’s eyes widened. Whatever Vincent was seeing was really there. 

“Doctor, get out of the way!” Ariel yelled. But her warning cry came a moment too late as before the Doctor even had a chance to react whatever the creature was sent him flying across the courtyard. “Doctor!” Ariel shrieked and ran to his side. 

“What is it?” The Doctor gasped.

“I don’t know but Vincent isn’t having a fit. Whatever this creature is, he can see it and we can’t,” Ariel told him. 

“Ah,” the Doctor hummed.

“I can't see anything. What is it?” Amy frowned.

“That is a good question,” the Doctor nodded. “Let me help you,” he said, picking up a pole to join Vincent.

“You can see him, too?” Vincent asked.

“Yes,” the Doctor nodded and Ariel raised a contradicting eyebrow. “Ish,” the Doctor tried and Ariel scoffed. “Well, no,” the Doctor amended and Ariel nodded firmly. “Not really,” he shrugged.

As he glanced back at Vincent, the creature tossed him backwards again.

“You couldn’t see him,” Vincent sighed. 

“No. No,” the Doctor shook his head. But that didn’t stop him from putting in a worthy effort. “Oi!” He cried and began swinging his pole recklessly around to try and hit the creature.

“Doctor, stop,” Ariel moaned. “You’re just gonna get yourself hurt again. Let Vincent handle it,” she insisted.

“No, no!” The Doctor exclaimed. “I’ve got this!”

Ariel groaned and rolled her eyes in exhaustion at the old man. “I’m gonna kill him,” she sighed.

Amy just giggled at the sight of Ariel who appeared as nothing more than an exhausted wife watching as her husband tried to reclaim his youth. 

Vincent plunged his pitchfork into the creature and pulled it out. Wounded, the creature left but the creature left and Ariel and Amy watched as the barrels around the exit were tumbled over and Vincent watched it leave, panting in exhaustion. 

Ariel chuckled as she turned and noticed the Doctor still twirling his pipe trying to hit the creature. She walked up behind him and narrowly dodged a pipe being swung at her face. 

“Wow!” She exclaimed with a giggle and placed her hands on his shoulders. “Doctor?” She prompted with a small smile. “It’s gone.”

“What?” The Doctor gasped, panting as he placed his pipe down and glanced over his shoulder at Vincent and Amy who were just watching him in pure amusement. “Oh, right. Yes. Of course,” he sighed.

They headed back into Vincent’s cottage and the Doctor sighed softly as he brushed his hair out of his face and draped his arm over Ariel’s shoulder.

“Right,” the Doctor mumbled. “So he's invisible. What did he look like?” He wondered.

“I’ll show you,” Vincent said. He grabbed one of his paintings and used a brush to paint white over it, effectively destroying the picture.

“Oh, no, no. No, no!” The Doctor cried, jumping forward as he realized what Vincent was doing.

“What?” Vincent frowned, unsure of why the Doctor reacted so violently to the destruction of a picture he thought to be virtually worthless.

“It's just er, that was quite a good,” the Doctor mumbled “Oh, no. On you go,” he moaned, collapsing back into one of the chairs as Vincent continued in his destruction of the painting of a bunch of violets.

Ariel winced as Vincent gathered some charcoal and placed the painting on an easel so he could sketch the creature for the trio. She sat down on the arm of the chair the Doctor sat upon but the Doctor quickly pulled her down into the chair partially sitting atop him where she was. 

He wrapped an arm around her waist and Ariel placed her head on his shoulder as they watched him.

“Y’know, I never really did recognize that painting,” Ariel murmured. “But I always just thought it was because it was one of the few I had never seen.”

“Apparently not,” the Doctor mumbled. “And now we know why.”

“Still, Vincent Van Gogh?” Ariel smiled.

“I know,” the Doctor grinned. “Not too shabby.”

Vincent worked on the portrait of the creature and they all remained silent, allowing him to work on the picture. When he finished, Ariel and the Doctor got up to seem him turn a picture of a thing with a wicked beak, crest and claws.

“Okay. Okay,” the Doctor nodded. “Right. Ariel, Amy, make Mister Van Gogh comfortable. Don't let any invisible monsters in through the front door,” he instructed.

“But where are you going?!” Ariel exclaimed with a small frown.

“Back to the Tardis,” the Doctor shrugged. “There’s something I need to get.”

“But it could be outside, waiting,” Amy reminded him. 

“Well, don't worry,” the Doctor shook his head. “I'll risk it. What's the worst that can happen?”

“You know when someone says ‘what’s the worst that could happen’ the worst always happens right?” Ariel prompted.

“You could get torn into pieces by a monster you can't see,” Amy offered.

“Like that,” Ariel nodded. “That could happen.”

“Oh right, yes, that,” the Doctor sighed. “Don't worry,” He shrugged. He walked up to Ariel and kissed her quick but deeply.

“Don’t die,” Ariel requested.

“I'll be back before you can say where's he got to now?” The Doctor chuckled and Ariel smiled as he waved goodbye and walked out.

She collapsed into the chair once again and sighed as she turned away and back to Vincent.

“Not that fast!” The Doctor bellowed, running back into the room and making both women scream at the sudden sound. “But pretty fast,” he chuckled and Ariel glared at him with a gaze dripping in poison. The Doctor smiled softly and walked up to her, kissing her once again as a silent apology. “See you around,” he sighed and walked out genuinely this time.

Amy and Ariel tried to stay with and entertain Vincent throughout the night but once he fell asleep and began snoring, it was only a matter of time before they decided they had to go. They brought Vincent to his room and exchanged a knowing look.

“We need to find the Doctor,” Ariel sighed.

“Agreed,” Amy nodded.

They headed back to the Tardis but the Doctor was nowhere to be found.

“Where do you reckon he went?” Amy frowned.

“I’m not sure,” Ariel mumbled. “But I think we should-Hold on,” Ariel murmured, tiptoeing forward. In the distance she spotted a knocked over bicycle. “I think he went that way,” she said, pointing straight ahead. 

“You sure?” Amy prompted, raising an eyebrow at the brunette.

“Not exactly,” Ariel shrugged. “We could just as easily be following whatever the hell this thing is, but it’s worth a shot,” she sighed and began marching ahead to follow the path. 

“Oh, I wish we had better odds than this,” Amy mumbled, but she followed Ariel regardless.

They headed down the alleyway and found some tables scattered across the alley and items astrew. 

“This does not look anymore promising,” Amy remarked, stepping over a crate tossed onto the alley.

“He’s here,” Ariel nodded. “That creature wouldn’t have done this much damage on his own. The Doctor’s trying to deter it.”

“Sure about that are you?” Amy prompted.

“Yes,” Ariel nodded firmly. “Sort of. Not really,” she shook her head.

Amy chuckled. “I’ll give you one thing. You definitely sound like the Doctor right now,” she noticed.

They reached the end of the alley and Ariel tiptoed cautiously around the corner before jumping back and screaming. Amy skidded backwards, worried she had found the creature until the Doctor peered around the corner, screaming in shock and fear at the sudden presence of the women.

“Bloody hell!” Ariel exclaimed. 

“Don’t do that!” The Doctor cried, pulling Ariel into a hug and staring at Amy with wide eyes. “Never do that! You scared the living daylights out of me,” he gasped.

“Sorry, we got bored,” Amy sighed. “As much as you admire his command of colour and shape, it is hard to get fond of Vincent Van Gogh's  _ snoring _ ,” Amy moaned.

“It is really loud,” Ariel winced. 

“Well, we need to wake him up,” the Doctor shrugged. “I’ve found out what the creature is.”

“What the hell is that thing?” Ariel asked, gesturing to a strange device strapped to his body with a small screen right beside his head.

“Long story,” the Doctor sighed. “Got it from a dull godmother with two heads and  _ bad  _ breath. Twice.”

“Okay, but why do we need it now?” Ariel wondered.

“It was able to catch a picture of the creature and tell me what it is,” the Doctor said.

“So, what is it?” Amy prompted.

“A Krafayis,” the Doctor answered. “Now, walk and talk. I need to put this back in the Tardis,” he said. He walked out from behind the corner and marched back down the alley to the Tardis.

“And what’s a Krafayis?” Ariel implored.

“Sort of a long story,” the Doctor shook his head. “I’ll explain in detail once we get back to Vincent’s and wake him up but just know that this particular Krafayis has been abandoned by its pack and will kill until it has been killed.”

“Does that mean we have to kill it?” Ariel wondered.

The Doctor approached the Tardis and they headed inside so he could put away the device. “I’m not so sure,” the Doctor hummed. “Since, Vincent can actually see it we might be at an advantage here.”

“Do you think you could bring it back to its pack?” Ariel asked.

“I hope so,” the Doctor sighed. “Now, come on. We’d better get some breakfast ready for Mister Van Gogh,” he smiled.

“Cooking for Vincent Van Gogh,” Ariel chuckled. “Never thought I’d be able to say that.”

“Wait, if we’re preparing breakfast for him, can I make a stop?” Amy asked. “There’s something I wanna get for him as sort of a thank you for saving me from the Krafayis.”

“Sure,” the Doctor nodded. “So long as we can carry it back to the cottage you can get what you’d like.”

~~~

Dozens of sunflowers flooding the courtyard later, Ariel fixed them all some coffee while the Doctor woke the painter.

“Y’know I don’t really like sunflowers,” Ariel sighed as she took a seat across from Amy and took a bite of the ginger’s toast.

“Really?” Amy frowned. “You’re such a big fan of his artwork I’d figured they’d be your favorite flower.”

“Not really,” Ariel shook her head. “I mean I love his painting of them, don’t get me wrong, but I really love amaryllis bulbs,” she smiled. 

“Oh, those Christmas flowers?” Amy prompted.

“Yeah,” Ariel grinned. “Christmas is my favorite holiday and my Mum wasn’t really a big fan of decorating the house, but she did used to let me have the flowers to decorate the flat, so I used to always look forward to the time of year when we could go out and get dozens of amaryllis bulbs for the house. Seeing them now always reminds me of how excited I used to get.”

“That’s so nice,” Amy smirked. “I love unintended traditions like that,” she sighed.

Ariel smiled softly and nodded as she poured herself another cup of coffee for the day.

Meanwhile, in Vincent’s room, the Doctor slammed the door open effectively waking Vincent up. 

“Wake, wakey, rise and shine!” The Doctor exclaimed, walking over to the windows and shoving them open, allowing the bright sunlight to shine into the room. “Breakfast is served in the courtyard. Whoa! What a morning. Come on. And Amy's got a little surprise for you,” he hummed.

Vincent poked his head out the window to grin at the women and Amy’s eyes widened at the sight of him.

“I thought I'd brighten things up to thank you for saving me last night,” Amy said, smiling at the painter who chuckled at the sight of the courtyard flooded with sunflowers.

“Ah,” Vincent sighed.

The Doctor walked up to the table and scooted over beside Ariel, taking her coffee and sipping it happily.

“I thought you might like, you know, possibly to perhaps paint them or something?” Amy offered, raising an eyebrow at Vincent. “Might be a thought,” she shrugged.

“Yes, well, they're not my favourite flower,” Vincent hummed and Ariel choked on her coffee.

“Sorry?” Ariel prompted, raising an eyebrow at the painter.

“ _ You _ don’t like sunflowers?” Amy scoffed.

“No, it's not that I don't like them,” Vincent shook his head. “I find them complex. Always somewhere between living and dying. Half-human as they turn to the sun. A little disgusting. But, you know, they are a challenge,” he sighed.

“And one I'm pretty sure you'll rise to,” the Doctor chuckled. “But, moving on, there's something I need to show you. Finish breakfast and I’ll tell you all I can about the creature from last night.”

Vincent nodded and closed his window to head down and do just that. He took his seat beside Amy at the table and they all ate breakfast together before Ariel helped him clean up and the Doctor lead them back into the living room to show them a picture of the Krafayis he had printed from his device.

He handed the small picture to Vincent and the painter’s eyes immediately widened and he nodded at the sight of it.

“That's him,” Vincent nodded. “And the eyes, without mercy,” he hummed.

“This is a creature called the Krafayis,” the Doctor explained. “They travel in space. They travel as a pack, scavenging across the universe. And sometimes one of them gets left behind. And because they are a brutal race, the others never come back. So, dotted all around the universe are individual, utterly merciless, utterly abandoned Krafayis. And what they do is, well, kill, until they're killed. Which they usually aren't. Because other creatures can't see them,” he shrugged.

“But I can,” Vincent mumbled, nodding at the Doctor’s explanation. 

“Yes,” the Doctor smiled. “And that's why we are in a unique position today, my friend, to end this reign of terror,” he said. “So, feeling like painting the church today?”

“What about the monster?” Vincent wondered with a small frown.

“Take my word for it. If you paint it, he will come,” the Doctor promised with a nod. 

Vincent seemed overjoyed at the idea that they could stop the killing with his painting. “Okay. I’ll get my things,” Vincent nodded, smiling at the Doctor and the two women, sharing a chair in his sitting room.

“In your own time,” the Doctor sighed, turning back to the women. “And I promise you, we'll be out of your hair by this time tomorrow,” he assured the painter.

Vincent hesitated and greeted the trio with large eyes at the idea that they would soon disappear from his home. “Right,” Vincent mumbled and marched out without another word.

“This is risky,” the Doctor sighed.

“Riskier than normal?” Amy prompted, raising an eyebrow at the Doctor.

“Considering this is the year and month he dies, I’m guessing yes,” Ariel breathed.

“Well, think about it,” the Doctor hummed. “This is the middle of Vincent Van Gogh's greatest year of painting. If we're not careful, the net result of our pleasant little trip will be the brutal murder of the greatest artist who ever lived. Half the pictures on the wall of the Musée D'Orsay will disappear,” he clicked his fingers reinforcing how instantaneous the change would be. “And it will be our fault,” he mumbled.

Ariel and Amy shared a wary glance as they both sat back in the chair together. They didn’t exactly know how to respond when the Doctor told them that the death of their favorite painter might just be able to be blamed on them if they weren’t cautious of how they moved forward.

When Vincent didn’t come back out with his painting supplies for hours, the Doctor decided to go up to his room and try to see if he couldn’t help the painter speed things along. Little did he know his words promising their disappearance had plunged Vincent into a pit of despair that he found more and more difficulty crawling out of as each day wore longer on his mind.

The Doctor knocked then entered Vincent’s room and found the artist laying face down on his bed, crying his eyes out.

“Vincent? Vincent!” The Doctor exclaimed, rushing over to his side. “Vincent, can I help?” He asked, desperate to over any kindness he could to the man.

“It's so clear you cannot help,” Vincent sobbed, tearing himself from the Doctor’s friendliness with the knowledge that it would soon be gone. “And when you leave, and everyone always leaves, I will be left once more with an empty heart and no hope,” he mumbled, his muffled words carrying the weight of a man who had felt too much loss for someone of just thirty-seven years.

“My experience is that there is, you know, surprisingly, always hope,” the Doctor assured him.

“Then your experience is incomplete,” Vincent spat, knowing all too well that the promise of hope was nothing more than a fickle lie. “I know how it will end. And it will not end well,” he wept and the Doctor’s hearts were worn down with the knowledge that Vincent was right and his time would not come to the ending the magnificent painter described.

The Doctor took a deep breath and tried to help Vincent out of bed. “Come on. Come out. Come on, let's go outside,” he insisted.

“Get out!” Vincent cried. “You get out. What are you doing here? What are you doing here?” He pleaded and the Doctor backed away, hearts tearing open at the knowledge that he had upset the already distraught painter.

“Very well. I'll leave. I'll leave you,” the Doctor assured him with a short nod, backing out of the room and closing the door behind him.

Ariel and Amy skipped up to him, ignorant smiles awaiting the presence of their favorite painter.

“What’s happening?” Amy asked. 

“Where’s Vincent?” Ariel wondered. 

“We're leaving,” the Doctor sighed. “Everyone knows he's a delicate man. Just this month he'll, he'll take his own life,” he mumbled, hanging his head gravelly at the loss of the brilliant man.

“Don’t say that. Please,” Amy begged, her voice cracking when she spoke.

“Let me speak to him,” Ariel requested, walking past the Doctor only to be stopped by him grabbing her wrist and bringing her to a halt.

“I wouldn’t if I were you,” the Doctor sighed. “He’s in a very fragile state of mind right now.”

“And I want to try and help,” Ariel nodded. “I think I may be able to reassure him. I know I can’t save his life but the least I could do is help him have one good day.”

The Doctor took a deep breath and nodded. He released Ariel’s wrist and allowed her to try and console the distraught painter.

She smiled softly and headed into Vincent’s room. She knocked on the door and entered cautiously, peering at the crying man with sad eyes.

“Vincent?” She prompted, her voice soft and gentle as she spoke.

“I thought I told you to get out of here,” Vincent sobbed.

“Oh, no, I know,” Ariel nodded, walking across the room and kneeling by his bedside. “But I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Why would you care?” Vincent sobbed. “Why would any of you care?”

“Because you’re a good person,” Ariel nodded. “You opened up your home to us. You allowed us to stay when we had no place to go and you were a friend to us. It’s only fair that we stay and make sure you’re alright.”

“It hardly matters,” Vincent mumbled. “Soon, you will leave just as everyone else does. There is nothing left for me to look to.”

“Oh, but Vincent how can you know that unless you experience the future to come?” Ariel wondered. “Even if we’re gone, you might find some people who fall in love with your paintings long after we leave. You might find a day that brings so much joy and happiness that you find it maddening you ever thought there was no hope left for you.”

“And if I don’t?” Vincent wondered, sniffling softly as he peered at her.

“Then you’ll live long enough to look me in the eyes and have the right to say I told you so,” Ariel smiled. “But you have to soldier on to discover if I’m right before you get that chance.”

“Soldier on?” Vincent frowned.

“Yes,” Ariel nodded. “You have to fight through each day and complete it even with the universe tries to tear you down and force you to stay in bed, torturing you with these moods. You live each day in defiance of the hurt and pain the world tries to throw at you.”

“Is that what you have done?” Vincent wondered, beginning to sit up in his bed at her words.

Ariel took a deep breath and nodded. “Yes,” she said. “Though I have someone who helps a bit with that,” she smirked.

“That Doctor of yours?” Vincent guessed with a ghost of a smile gracing his lips.

“Yeah,” Ariel chuckled. “He helps when things get rough and I begin to lose hope, but you have to be able to soldier on by yourself and I know you can do it. Fight past the hurt the world tries to press down on you and live through each day to see just what the universe can bring you and what good it may present.”

Vincent took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay,” he said. “Okay, I’ll paint the church today.”

“Brilliant,” Ariel smiled. 

Vincent got up and collected his belongings and grabbed his straw hat before they walked out into the living room to greet the Doctor and Amy.

“Come on,” the Doctor sighed. “We have to do this on our own. Go to the church at the right time and hope the monster still turns up.”

Ariel cleared her throat to draw the attention of the pair and grinned when they stared at Vincent with large eyes.

“I’m ready,” Vincent nodded. “Let’s go.”

The Doctor raised a curious eyebrow at Ariel and she just smiled and wrapped an arm around his waist. “Don’t ever doubt me again,” she sighed, resting her head on his shoulder.

“I wouldn’t dare,” the Doctor chuckled, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close. 

The Doctor, Ariel and Amy all helped Vincent carry his belongings when they set out on their journey to the church. The Doctor stopped by the Tardis while Ariel and Amy helped Vincent pack up and he retrieved a briefcase full of the items he would need to stop the creature. 

When they left, Amy carried Vincent’s canvas while he held his easel and paints and Ariel carried his chair for him to sit on by the church.

They marched down the road together to the church and the entire time Amy cast wary yet concerned glances at Vincent.

“I’m sorry you’re so sad,” Amy said finally.

“But I'm not,” Vincent sighed, smiling softly at the bright day surrounding them. “Sometimes these moods torture me for weeks, for months. But I'm good now. If Ariel Parsons and Amy Pond can soldier on, then so can Vincent Van Gogh,” Vincent said, casting a quick grin over his shoulder at Ariel who nodded and smiled at him in return.

“I-I’m not soldiering on,” Amy scoffed. 

“Oh, Amy,” Vincent sighed. “I hear the song of your sadness. You've lost someone, I think,” he guessed and Ariel gazed up at the Doctor with large eyes.

“I’m not sad,” Amy insisted.

“Then why are you crying?” Vincent wondered and Amy sucked in a sharp breath as she rubbed her cheek and found tears streaming down her face. “It’s alright,” he assured her. “I understand.”

“I’m not sure I do,” Amy mumbled.

“Doctor,” Ariel breathed, her eyes wide with warning as she realized what direction Vincent and Amy’s conversation may be heading towards.

“Okay. Okay,” the Doctor nodded. “So, now, we must have a plan. When the creature returns-,” he began.

“Then we shall fight him again!” Vincent exclaimed with an adamant nod.

“Well, yes, tick,” the Doctor hummed, placing an invisible tick in the air as though putting a tick in the plan. “But last night we were lucky. Amy could have been killed. So this time, for a start, we have to make sure I can see him too,” he said with a nod.

“And how are we meant to do that, suddenly?” Amy wondered, frowning at the Doctor.

“Yeah, how’s that supposed to work?” Ariel asked.

“The answer's in this box,” the Doctor hummed, patting the briefcase and walking forward ahead of the group I had an excellent, if smelly, godmother,” he smiled, but that quickly fell when in the distance they spotted a funeral procession marching toward them. 

“Oh no, it's that poor girl from the village,” Vincent sighed.

They stood aside respectfully as the coffin was carried past with the friends and family of the girl marching beside it. On top of the coffin there was a bouquet of sunflowers.

“You do have a plan, don’t you?” Amy prompted the Doctor when the procession was gone and they continued walking up to the church.

“No,” the Doctor sighed. “It's a thing,” he shrugged. “It's like a plan, but with more greatness.”

Ariel giggled and ran up to his side, grabbing his hand as they headed up to the church. 

The Doctor, Ariel and Amy all helped Vincent set up his easel and canvas so he could paint. Once everything was in place, Vincent collapsed in his chair and the Doctor sighed as he placed his hands on the painter’s shoulders and narrowed his eyes at the church.

“And you'll be sure to tell me if you see any, you know, monsters,” the Doctor mumbled, shrugging slightly as he spoke.

“Yes. While I may be mad, I'm not stupid,” Vincent smiled kindly at the Doctor.

“You’re not mad,” Ariel frowned.

“She’s right,” the Doctor nodded, kneeling beside Vincent. “It seems to me bipolar disorder is a very complex-.”

“Shush,” Vincent hushed the Doctor pressing a finger to his lips. “I’m working,” he hummed.

“Well, yes. Paint. Do painting!” The Doctor exclaimed with a large grin. “I remember watching Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel. Wow! What a whinger. I kept saying to him, look, if you're scared of heights, you shouldn't have taken the job then,” he chuckled.

“Michelangelo was scared of heights?” Ariel frowned.

“Oh yeah,” the Doctor sighed as the pair of them took seats in the grass in front of the church. “I kept telling him, don’t look down. Just focus on the picture. Funnily enough I think that was when he decided to make so many of the people in the paintings nude,” he chuckled.

“I did always wonder about that,” Ariel mumbled as she placed her head in the Doctor’s lap.

“I should introduce you,” the Doctor hummed, combing his fingers through Ariel’s hair. “I have a feeling you’d like him and he’d definitely like talking to you.”

“Yeah, I think I’d like that,” Ariel smiled. “I’ve always thought it would be cool to ask him about  _ The Creation of Adam _ I had teachers who taught me dozens of different theories on that and it’d be cool to hear it from the source,” Ariel smirked.

“It should pose an interesting story,” the Doctor agreed.

“Shush,” Amy silenced them, enwrapped in watching Vincent Van Gogh paint as the couple spent their anniversary together sitting before the Church at Auvers awaiting a creature bent on killing whatever it comes across.

They were both silent for maybe an hour before the Doctor felt the need to speak again and fill the mind-numbing silence with words.

“And Picasso,” the Doctor hummed. “What a ghastly old goat. I kept telling him, concentrate, Pablo. It's one eye, either side of the face.”

“I think he really hates me,” Ariel winced.

“Ah, he shouldn’t blame you for that blunder. He shouldn’t have taught you how to curse and say magnificent on the same day. They both started with ‘M’ you were bound to get them mixed up,” he sighed. 

“Still,” Ariel murmured. “He’s got to be pretty self-conscious about  _ The Blue Room  _ after what I said.”

“He was,” the Doctor nodded. “But that was hardly your fault. I mean, compare it to his other paintings,” he shrugged.

“He was branching out,” Ariel moaned. “And I stifled it cause I’m rubbish at Spanish.”

“It’s not entirely your fault,” the Doctor shook his head. “The Tardis translation circuit makes it a bit difficult to learn other languages after you’ve traveled.”

“Quiet,” Amy hissed and the pair of them were silenced for another few hours just in time for Vincent to be halfway done with the painting.

An owl hooted and Ariel felt herself falling asleep in the Doctor’s arms as he continued to comb his fingers through her hair in motions that were set to put her to sleep.

“Is this how time normally passes?” The Doctor moaned. “Really slowly. In the right order,” he muttered. “If there's one thing I can't stand, it's an unpunctual alien attack.”

“Are you okay? You seem a bit, if I didn't know you better, I'd say nervous,” Amy frowned.

“Yes, there's something not right and I can't quite put my finger on it,” the Doctor mumbled.

Ariel groaned and rolled over in his arms and he smiled softly at her as he continued to comb through her hair.

Suddenly, Vincent’s voice put their somber moment together to a screeching halt and woke Ariel up immediately.

“There!” Vincent cried and Ariel sat up straight immediately with large eyes.

“What?” Ariel gasped.

“He’s at the window!” Vincent exclaimed.

Ariel and the Doctor jumped up and ran behind Vincent, standing on either side of him and anxiously scanning the windows of the church as though they might suddenly gain the ability to see the creature.

“Where?” The Doctor asked.

“There, on the right,” Vincent said, pointing to the window.

“As I thought,” the Doctor hummed, nodding at the direction Vincent pointed to. “Come on,” he said, nodding to Ariel. “We’re going in,” he announced.

“Well, I’m coming too,” Vincent shrugged, placing his paints down and stepping up to the couple.

“No!” The Doctor gasped, holding his hand out to stop the artist in his tracks. “You're Vincent Van Gogh. No,” he breathed.

“But you’re not armed,” Vincent reasoned with a small frown.

“I am,” the Doctor assured him with a nod.

“What with?” Vincent wondered. 

“Overconfidence, this, and a small screwdriver,” he listed with a small smirk. “I'm absolutely sorted. Just have to find the right crosactic setting and stun him with it. Sonic never fails,” the Doctor promised.

“Yes, it does,” Ariel mumbled thinking of the one substance the sonic screwdriver was unable to handle.

“Hush,” the Doctor murmured and Ariel snickered. “Anyway, Amy, only one thought, one simple instruction. Don't follow us under any circumstances,” he instructed.

“I won’t,” Amy promised.

The Doctor nodded and grabbed Ariel’s hand, running to the entrance of the church. 

“She’s gonna follow us isn’t she?” Ariel prompted.

“It’s almost certain,” the Doctor nodded.

They headed to the front of the church and the Doctor placed the briefcase down to get it open and set it up. 

“That’s how you’re going to see the Krafayis?” Ariel frowned. “Strap this huge thing to your chest and pray for the best?”

“Got any better ideas?” The Doctor prompted, smirking knowingly at her as she strapped the device to him.

“No,” Ariel mumbled. 

“Exactly,” the Doctor sighed, smiling softly at her. “Now, let’s get inside before he moves.”

“Right,” Ariel nodded. She and the Doctor walked inside, sure to tiptoe so the creature didn’t hear them and wind up charging before they could even figure out where it was.

The Doctor handed her his sonic and she began sonicing the area for the creature.

They approached the window that Vincent said the Krafayis was at and the Doctor spun around in circles trying to catch sight of the creature on his screen. When he couldn’t find it, he sighed softly and turned his attention back to Ariel.

“He’s moved,” he shrugged.

Ariel took a deep breath and started to turn away when out of nowhere, the Doctor was whacked by an invisible force and sent flying across the church floor. He cried out in pain and Ariel scrambled after him.

“Doctor!” Ariel screamed. She darted towards him but was tossed backwards by the creature before she could reach him. 

“Ariel!” The Doctor gasped. He shot up and ran to her, helping her to her feet and guiding her to the door. “We need to get out of here.”

“What about the screen?” Ariel groaned, rubbing the back of her head where she had hit the floor.

“Kaput,” he sighed, holding out the broken screen with a worn down expression.

“Well, now we know gifts from your smelly godmother can’t handle the full force of a Krafayis,” Ariel mumbled.

The Doctor chuckled softly, turning around the corner and screaming at a strange figure that appeared out of nowhere. 

“Doctor!” Amy exclaimed.

He sighed once he noticed it was Amy and roll his eyes.

“Stop doing that!” The Doctor snapped and Ariel giggled. “I thought I told you!” He snapped and shook his head once he heard the creature knock down some items in the church.

“Never mind that, we haven’t got time!” Ariel moaned, glancing behind her with large eyes like she would be able to see the creature when it was coming. 

“We’ll talk about it later,” the Doctor nodded. “Quick, in here,” he said, waving the women into a confessional before stepping in after them on Ariel’s side.

“Absolutely quiet,” the Doctor hummed.

The Doctor held on tight to Ariel and the pair of them remained almost deadly silent but Amy breathed heavily on her side of the confessional practically panting in fear. 

“Can you breathe a little quieter please?” The Doctor hissed through the confessional to Amy.

“No,” Amy murmured.

They heard the shuffle of feet march around the confessional, but that didn’t fool Ariel into thinking that it was safe for just one second. 

“He’s gone past,” Amy mumbled.

“We don’t know that,” Ariel whispered.

“Shush!” The Doctor snapped at the pair of them.

The Krafayis apparently heard Amy because within a matter of seconds, it began smashing her side of the confessional while she screamed.

“I think he heard us,” the Doctor mumbled.

“You think?!” Ariel exclaimed.

Unfortunately, her voice drew the Krafayis to their side of the confessional and Ariel screamed as it began attacking them.

“That is impressive hearing he's got,” the Doctor remarked and Ariel yelped as the creature smashed the wood right behind her. “What's less impressive are our chances of survival,” he sighed.

“Hey!” The distant voice of Vincent Van Gogh cried. “Are you looking for me, sonny? Come on, over here. Because I'm right here waiting for you,” he said and Ariel pulled the curtain open with large eyes to see Vincent fending off the Krafayis with his chair. “Come on,” Vincent waved the three of them over when he spotted them watching him. “Quickly. Get behind me,” he instructed.

They all did as he said, running out of the confessional and behind Vincent as he fended off a creature they couldn’t see and seemed to be succeeding.

The Doctor pointed his sonic at the creature and tried to do something against the creature to try and stop it. 

“Doing anything?” The Doctor prompted, raising an eyebrow at Vincent to see if he’d made any progress.

“Nope,” Vincent shook his head. 

The backed around a corner to another corridor and the Doctor looked around wildly searching for the Krafayis.

“Where is he?” The Doctor asked.

“Where do you think he is, you idiot?” Vincent scoffed as he continued to fend off the Krafayis before them with his chair. “Use your head.”

The Doctor sighed softly and tried to sonic the Krafayis once again.

“Anything?” The Doctor asked.

“Nothing,” Vincent shook his head. “In fact, he seemed to rather enjoy it,” he remarked.

“Oo,” the Doctor hummed and Ariel snorted at his pleasant reaction.

The creature ran around to the Doctor and Vincent watched it with large eyes as it made a break straight for the Doctor.

“Duck!” Vincent cried and the Doctor ducked as they heard the creature’s tail whack the wall to the Doctor’s right. “Left,” Vincent instructed and winced when he was tossed up against the wall to his right. “Right, sorry,” he apologized. “Your right, my left,” he corrected.

Ariel bolted up to the Doctor and helped him to his feet as he rubbed the back of his head. “This is no good at all. Run like crazy and regroup,” the Doctor sighed.

“There’s no way in hell we are splitting up,” Ariel scoffed. 

“Oh, come on, in here,” Amy groaned. She dragged the three of them into a crypt and they tried to slam the door but the creature stopped them. 

They all pushed against the door as hard as they could but it was only when Vincent stomped on what Ariel assumed to be a part of the creature that they could slam the door shut.

They all leaned against the door to keep the creature from entering as it banged against the door putting in a worthy effort. 

“Right. Okay. Here's the plan. Ariel. Amy, Rory,” the Doctor sighed and Ariel shot a warning glare at him.

“Who?” Amy frowned.

“Nobody,” Ariel shook her head. 

“Sorry,” the Doctor winced. “Er, Vincent,” he corrected.

“What is the plan?” Amy insisted as the creature slammed on the door.

“I don't know, actually,” the Doctor admitted with a shrug. “My only definite plan is that in future I'm definitely just using this screwdriver for screwing in screws,” he sighed as he placed it back in his suit and Ariel sniggered.

“Give me a second,” Vincent nodded. “I'll be back,” he nodded and with that, he left and there were only three manning the door.

“I suppose we could try talking to him,” the Doctor proposed.

“Talking to him?” Amy scoffed as though that were the most ridiculous thing in the world.

“That might be good,” Ariel nodded.

“Well, yes. Might be interesting to know his side of the story,” the Doctor agreed just as the Krafayis slammed on the door, hitting the Doctor’s side roughly. “Yes, though maybe he's not really in the mood for conversation right at this precise moment,” he mumbled, but that didn’t deter him from pressing his ear against the door and trying to talk with the creature. “Well, no harm trying. Listen,” the Doctor instructed and the creature slammed on the door. “Listen!” He barked and with a resounding sigh of relief the hammering stopped. “I know you can understand me, even though I know you won't understand why you can understand me. I also know that no one's talked to you for a pretty long stretch, but please, listen. I also don't belong on this planet. I also am alone. If you trust me, I'm sure we can come to some kind of, you know, understanding. And then, and then, who knows?”

Rather than respond, the windows of the church were blown in and the women screamed as the invisible creature entered.

“Over here, mate!” Vincent called and the trio ran up to him as he distracted the Krafayis. He had gone to get his easel and was brandishing it with its three-pointed feet forwards.

They hid behind a stone monument and Vincent made sure to keep an eye on the creature.

“What’s it up to now?” The Doctor wondered.

“It's moving round the room,” Vincent mumbled. “Feeling its way around.”

“What?” The Doctor frowned.

“It's like it's trapped,” Vincent remarked. “It's moving round the edges of the room.”

“I can’t see anything,” Ariel moaned, narrowing her eyes in the darkness at the empty room.

The Doctor’s eyes widened as Ariel’s words, as they usually had done, helped him realize something he had missed out on the entire time.

“I am really stupid,” the Doctor moaned.

“Oh, get a grip!” Amy snapped. “This is not a moment to re-evaluate your self-esteem.”

“No, I am really stupid, and I'm growing old,” the Doctor sighed. 

“What is it?” Ariel frowned.

“Why does it attack but never eat its victims? And why was it abandoned by its pack and left here to die? And why is it feeling its way helplessly around the walls of the room? It can't see. It's blind. Yes, and that explains why it has such  _ perfect hearing _ !” He roared.

“Which unfortunately also explains why it is now turning around and heading straight for us,” Vincent winced.

“Vincent. Vincent, what's happening?” The Doctor asked, glancing around wildly.

“It's charging now,” Vincent announced and shoved the trio behind him. “Get back. Get back!” He cried.

Vincent charged forward toward the creature and skewered it on his easel. It lifted him into the air and Amy let out a small scream at the sight. Vincent was tossed back onto his feet and the easel seemed to fall to the ground. From the way it moved, it seemed like the creature was heaving its last breaths.

“He wasn't without mercy at all,” Vincent mumbled. “He was without sight. I didn't mean that to happen. I only meant to wound it, I never meant to-.”

“It’s alright,” Ariel assured him with a single nod. “It’s alright,” she promised.

The Doctor frowned as he knelt down beside the creature. “He’s trying to say something,” he noticed.

“What is it?” Vincent wondered.

“I'm having trouble making it out, but I think he's saying, I'm afraid. I'm afraid,” the Doctor sighed. He gently patted what they assumed to be the creature’s stomach right be where the easel had been skewered. “There, there. Shush, shush. It's okay, it's okay. You'll be fine. Shush,” he assured it.

Ariel stepped up taking shaky breaths and tried to pull the easel out of its body. Seeing that she had trouble, Amy stepped up and together the girls got the easel out of the Krafayis with a roar of pain from the creature.

“He was frightened, and he lashed out,” Vincent mumbled. “Like humans who lash out when they're frightened. Like the villagers who scream at me. Like the children who throw stones at me.”

“Yeah, sometimes winning, winning is no fun at all,” the Doctor sighed.

Ariel looked up at him with sad eyes and grabbed his hand, squeezing tightly she rested her head on his shoulder as she tried to wipe the fact that they had just killed an innocent from her mind.

They headed outside and Vincent walked them out to an open field where they all laid down in a circle, stretching their arms out and staring up at the gorgeous night sky.

Ariel and Vincent held Amy and the Doctor’s hands and Vincent smiled up at the sky.

“Try to see what I see,” Vincent requested. “We are so lucky we are still alive to see this beautiful world. Look at the sky. It's not dark and black and without character. The black is in fact deep blue. And over there, lighter blue. And blowing through the blueness and the blackness, the wind swirling through the air and then, shining, burning, bursting through, the stars. Can you see how they roar their light? Everywhere we look, the complex magic of nature blazes before our eyes,” he sighed.

“It’s beautiful,” Ariel gasped. 

“I've seen many things, my friend,” the Doctor nodded. “But you're right. Nothing quite as wonderful as the things you see,” he hummed.

Vincent smiled and turned to Amy, holding her hand tightly as he watched her. “I will miss you terribly,” he murmured.

~~~

Once they returned to Vincent’s cottage, Vincent tried to give them his  _ Self Portrait In A Straw Hat  _ as a thank you. The trio were delighted and Ariel was honest she was sincerely disappointed they couldn’t take it because history had to remain in tact and it had to be kept in a museum.

“I only wish I had something of real value to give you,” Vincent sighed.

“Oh this, is,” Ariel grinned, unable to find the words to express how wonderful the fact that he wanted to give them his self portrait was.

“We could never accept such an extraordinary gift,” the Doctor shook his head, passing the portrait back to Vincent with large eyes.

“Very well,” Vincent shrugged, tossing the portrait back onto his table. “You're not the first to decline the offer,” he sighed and Ariel desperately wanted to grab the self portrait back just to make him feel better. “Ariel, the magnificent!” Vincent exclaimed and Ariel giggled before wrapping the painter in a tight hug. 

“You be good to yourself,” Ariel mumbled.

“I could say the same for you,” Vincent nodded as he pulled out of the hug and smiled at her. “You be good to this one, Doctor,” Vincent instructed and Ariel grinned at him. “She’s a wonderful human being,” he sighed before turning to Amy. “Amy, the blessed!” He exclaimed and wrapped Amy in a tight hug and kissing her cheek with a laugh. 

“Be good to yourself, and be kind to yourself,” Amy hummed.

“I’ll try my best,” Vincent sighed.

“And maybe give the beard a little trim before you next kiss someone,” Amy winced with a soft smile as she rubbed her cheek.

“I will, I will,” Vincent chuckled. “And if you tire of these two, return, and we will have children by the dozen.”

“Yep,” Amy winced, appearing as though she’d rather do anything but return to the 19th century purely to have dozens of kids with a painter sixteen years older than her.

“Doctor, my friend,” Vincent sighed. “We have fought monsters together and we have won. On my own, I fear I may not do as well,” he muttered.

The Doctor smiled kindly at Vincent and wrapped him in a tight hug.

~~~

As they walked outside Vincent’s cottage back to the Tardis, the Doctor smiled at the two women.

“Are you two thinking what I’m thinking?” The Doctor prompted.

“I was thinking I may need some food or something before we leave,” Amy shrugged.

“Oh, yeah,” Ariel hummed, frowning at the ginger as she realized she was quite hungry too.

“Yes,” the Doctor nodded. “Well, no, you're not thinking exactly what I'm thinking,” he sighed. He turned back to Vincent’s cottage and grinned. “Vincent!” He called and Vincent appeared in the window, shirtless with an eyebrow raised. “I've got something I'd like to show you. Maybe just tidy yourself up a bit first,” he suggested with a short wince and Ariel giggled at his reaction.

“What are we gonna show him?” Amy asked. 

“If we’re extremely careful we may be able to instill some hope in the painter if even for a short time,” the Doctor smiled. “We’re taking him to the Musée D'Orsay.”

“What?” Ariel gasped. “We can do that?!” She exclaimed.

“If we’re careful we can,” the Doctor nodded with a large grin. 

Vincent popped on a shirt and headed down with his straw hat on and a small frown. “What is it?” He wondered.

“Follow us,” the Doctor hummed.

Vincent glanced curiously at the women but they just smiled and followed the Doctor.

They arrived back at the Tardis and found it covered in advertising. The Doctor glanced down at Ariel and she giggled as she fished her Tardis key out of her pocket to slice through the posters so they could get the door open.

“Now, you know we've had quite a few chats about the possibility there might be more to life than normal people imagine?” The Doctor prompted, raising an eyebrow at Vincent.

“Yes,” Vincent nodded.

“Well, brace yourself, Vinny,” the Doctor hummed. He swung open the door and Ariel giggled as she watched Vincent’s jaw drop at the sight of the interior Tardis. 

He took a few steps inside as though to ensure it was real and not a hallucination. He only got a few feet inside the Tardis before he ran out and did as many had done before him, peering around the exterior of the Tardis to clarify that the exterior was in fact as small as he had thought. When he walked back inside he seemed to have accepted the large Tardis interior as he stepped inside and sighed softly. 

“How come I'm the crazy one, and you three have stayed sane?” Vincent wondered and the trio laughed, following him inside and closing the door behind them.

“What do all these things do?” Vincent wondered, staring at the console with wonder flooding his eyes at the various buttons and controls.

“Oh, a huge variety of things,” the Doctor sighed. “This one here, for instance, plays soothing music,” he said before playing soothing classical music which Amy and Ariel happily danced to. “While this one makes a huge amount of noise. And this one makes everything go absolutely tonto,” he nodded. He raised an eyebrow at Ariel and she grinned and nodded. He pulled the lever and jerked the Tardis into flight.

“And this one?” Vincent wondered, falling onto the console and pointing at a small button.

“That's a friction contrafibulator!” The Doctor cried, scrambling to move Vincent away from the button.

“In other words, don’t touch,” Ariel hummed and Vincent chuckled and nodded.

“And this?” Vincent prompted, pointing to a red button on the console. 

“That's ketchup,” the Doctor answered. “And that one's mustard,” he said, gesturing to a large yellow button beside Amy.

“Mmm, nice,” Vincent smiled. “Come on, back to the cafe and you can tell me about all the wonders of the universe,” he said.

“Good idea,” the Doctor nodded. “Although, actually, there's a little something I'd like to show you first.”

They headed outside and Vincent’s eyes grew wide at them being in a different location then when they had entered. 

“Where are we?” Vincent wondered.

“Paris, 2010 AD. And this is the mighty Musée D'Orsay, home to many of the greatest paintings in history,” the Doctor sighed, beaming up at the museum.

“Oh, that’s wonderful,” Vincent grinned and Ariel’s heart wanted to break as she saw from the strained happiness on his face he knew he was likely not apart of that bunch.

Just then, two lads walked past listening to something on a radio and Vincent’s eyes inflated at the sight of the strange device.

“Ignore that,” the Doctor shook his head. “I've got something more important to show you.”

They all headed inside the museum and there were more than a few moments when one member of the trio had to pull Vincent away from a piece of artwork he stopped to admire. It was ironic really, they were in an art museum but Vincent couldn’t be allowed to actually pause and admire the artwork.

They eventually got into the Van Gogh exhibition and none of them needed to watch after Vincent as he spun around, staring with pure wonder and awe in his eyes as he watched countless people admire and adore the artwork he had thought to be less than nothing.

The Doctor walked up to Doctor Black and pulled him near to Vincent so the painter could overhear the answer to the question he was about to pose. Ariel turned Vincent away so he could listen but not be seen by anyone else.

“Doctor Black, we met a few days ago. I asked you about the  _ Church at Auvers _ ,” the Doctor reminded him.

“Oh, yes. Glad to be of help. You were nice about my tie,” Doctor Black nodded.

“Yes. And today is another cracker if I may say so,” the Doctor chuckled. “But I just wondered, between you and me, in a hundred words, where do you think Van Gogh rates in the history of art?” He wondered.

“Well, big question, but to me, Van Gogh is the finest painter of them all,” Doctor Black sighed. “Certainly, the most popular great painter of all time. The most beloved. His command of colour, the most magnificent. He transformed the pain of his tormented life into ecstatic beauty. Pain is easy to portray, but to use your passion and pain to portray the ecstasy and joy and magnificence of our world. No one had ever done it before. Perhaps no one ever will again. To my mind, that strange, wild man who roamed the fields of Provence was not only the world's greatest artist, but also one of the greatest men who ever lived,” he said.

Vincent burst into tears at his words. The Doctor’s eyes widened and he rushed over to him, pulling him into a kind hug as he cried.

“Vincent. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Is it too much?” The Doctor worried.

“No. They are tears of joy,” Vincent sniffled. He walked up to Doctor Black grinning ear to ear. “Thank you, sir. Thank you.”

He hugged Doctor Black tightly and kissed him on both cheeks.

“You're welcome. You're welcome,” Doctor Black mumbled, clearly blindsided by the hug.

“Sorry about the beard,” Vincent murmured, rubbing his beard as he turned away. 

“We’d better get going,” Ariel muttered, knowing that if anyone were to recognize Vincent Van Gogh it was Doctor Black.

“Yeah, I was just beginning to think that myself,” the Doctor sighed. “Come on, Vincent. We’d better be getting back.”

Vincent nodded and followed them out back to the Tardis. They landed in an olive grove near Vincent’s house and Vincent walked out with the stars in his eyes.

“This changes everything,” Vincent grinned. “I'll step out tomorrow with my easel on my back a different man,” he assured them. “I still can't believe that one of the haystacks was in the museum. How embarrassing,” he remarked and the trio laughed.

“It's been a great adventure and a great honour,” the Doctor nodded.

“You've turned out to be the first doctor ever actually to make a difference to my life,” Vincent laughed.

“I'm delighted. I won't ever forget you,” the Doctor grinned.

“It’s been a pleasure and a wonder getting to meet you Vincent,” Ariel nodded. 

“And the same to you Miss Parsons,” Vincent smiled, pulling her into a quick hug before turning to Amy. “And you are sure marriage is out of the question?” He prompted.

“This time,” Amy chuckled and nodded. She pulled Vincent into a tight hug. “I'm not really the marrying kind,” she whispered into his ear.

Vincent smiled and nodded, waving goodbye to the trio one last time before heading back up to his cottage.

Amy took a deep breath and turned to the couple with a large smile. “Come on. Let's go back to the gallery right now,” she insisted.

Amy ran back inside the Tardis and Ariel raised a curious eyebrow at the Doctor, silently asking if he knew what she was thinking but he just shrugged and shook his head, following them back inside regardless of Amy’s plans.

They landed outside the museum and Amy practically flew out of the Tardis the second they materialized.

“Time can be re-written. I know it can,” she insisted. “Come on! Oh, the long life of Vincent Van Gogh. There'll be hundreds of new paintings,” she sighed.

“Oh God,” Ariel mumbled.

“I’m not sure there will,” the Doctor said, but Amy didn’t listen to him as she ran into the museum and headed straight for the Van Gogh exhibition.

“Come on!” Amy yelled, waving the couple forward.

“She stays in the Tardis to sleep when we meet Picasso but when it comes to  _ this _ she’s rushing us,” Ariel moaned and the Doctor laughed. 

Amy, Ariel and the Doctor marched inside the Van Gogh exhibit to find Doctor Black just where they had left him leading a group through the exhibit.

“We have here the last work of Vincent Van Gogh, who committed suicide at only thirty seven. He is now acknowledged to be one of the foremost artists of all time. If you follow me now.”

Amy looked down, pain etched across her face at the fact that the Doctor and Ariel were right. Nothing had changed.

“So you were right,” Amy sighed. “No new paintings. We didn't make a difference at all,” she mumbled.

“Oh, don’t say that,” Ariel frowned. 

“The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. Hey,” the Doctor sighed, pulling Amy into a tight hug. “The good things don't always soften the bad things, but vice versa, the bad things don't necessarily spoil the good things or make them unimportant. And we definitely added to his pile of good things. And, if you look carefully, maybe we did indeed make a couple of little changes,” he remarked, pointing her focus to the  _ Church at Auvers. _

The three of them tiptoed up to it with large smiles as they noticed a very prominent piece missing from the church window.

“No Krafayis,” Amy sniffled, smiling at the picture.

The Doctor and Ariel exchanged a grin. “No Krafayis,” they said in unison.

Amy’s attention turned and was refocused on another painting. The Doctor and Ariel shared a frown as they turned to find what she was looking at. 

They saw her walking towards the  _ Still Life with Twelve Sunflowers _ slowly. She got close and beamed at the small inscription on the painting.

_ For Amy, Vincent. _

“If we had got married, our kids would have had very, very red hair,” Amy sighed.

“The ultimate ginger,” Ariel giggled.

“The ultimate ginge,” the Doctor hummed. “Brighter than sunflowers.”


	20. Cujo and the Olympics

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor Who minisode from which the Olympic runner and the Weeping Angel are based can be watched here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHaqxmcTqRo
> 
> There are some spoilers for the horror film Cujo in this so if you have not seen Cujo but wish to you can do so for free here: https://www1.putlockers.movie/12195-watch-cujo-1983-online-free-putlocker.html

The Doctor had stopped the Tardis. Why, Amy did not know but she was intent on figuring out soon enough. 

She tossed her covers off her body and marched down the corridor. The only reason the Doctor stopped the Tardis is when they had arrived somewhere and she wasn’t planning on allowing Ariel and him to go on some trip without even so much as asking her.

However, as she got halfway down the corridor, within mere feet of the staircase leading down to the console room, she heard a muffled singing coming from Ariel’s room. She backtracked a few steps and opened the door just a creak to hear the brunette singing a loud version of  _ Can’t Help Falling In Love _ .

If the Doctor was going somewhere, he was going without Ariel. Amy’s eyes widened at the very idea. In the months she had been traveling with the pair, she didn’t think she had ever heard of let alone seen the Doctor going anywhere without Ariel. Even if he had to wake her up, he always took the girl to new places. He loved traveling with her and would never dare going somewhere without her.

She ran down into the console room, now desperate to see the place the Doctor wanted to visit without the one person he always went out with.

She skipped down the steps just as the Doctor entered the console room with something in his hands. He seemed to jump out of his skin at the sight of Amy.

“Oh, hello Pond,” the Doctor sighed, relieved that it was her and not Ariel.

“What’s going on?” Amy wondered.

“What do you mean?” The Doctor shrugged.

“We’ve landed and you’ve just come back from somewhere without Ariel or me,” Amy said. “What are you up to?”

“I’m not up to anything,” the Doctor scoffed.

“Yes, you are,” Amy nodded with an insistent smile. “You’ve gone somewhere without either of us which means it’s something you don’t want either of us to see. What is it Doctor?” She hummed, grinning at his horrible secret. “What are you hiding?”

“Nothing,” the Doctor shrugged. 

“Then why is there a lump in your suit?” Amy smiled. “Come on, Doctor, you can’t hide things from me. I’m not as oblivious as Ariel.”

“She’s not that oblivious!” The Doctor exclaimed.

“She told me that she first realized you had feelings for her just when you were about to kiss her for the first time and even then she wasn’t certain,” Amy sighed. “She spots the things that matter, sure. But she’s oblivious to most everything else.”

“She’s not better than me,” the Doctor chuckled. “One time I-,” he began and Amy rolled her eyes. 

“Don’t try to distract me, Doctor,” Amy said. “I still want to know what you’re hiding and why you couldn’t take Ariel and I with you,” she said, crossing her arms and glaring at the Doctor.

“You’re really not letting this go, are you?” The Doctor sighed.

“Not a chance,” Amy grinned. “So, come on. Out with it. What are you being so secretive about?” She wondered.

“Okay,” the Doctor nodded. “I’ll tell you, but you have to swear not to tell Ariel,” he instructed.

“I’m not you two, Doctor,” Amy scoffed with a roll of her eyes. “I don’t have to tell you two everything.”

“I don’t force her to tell me everything,” the Doctor frowned, pouting like an upset child at her words.

“I know you don’t,” Amy shook her head. “But she still tells you.”

“That’s because I tell her-,” he sighed and shook his head. “That’s a relationship, Pond!” He exclaimed. 

“I know, I know,” Amy insisted. “No need to get all shouty,” she said. “I was just kidding,” she assured him. “But never mind that. What are you hiding?” She smiled.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. “And we always ring back round to this,” he sighed.

“I’m not going to let this go,” Amy assured him. “If you don’t want me to tell Ariel that’s fine but you’ll have to explain why she can’t hear this otherwise as soon as she gets out of the shower I’m gonna tell her you went on a secret trip and then you’ll have both of us pestering you,” Amy smirked.

“You’re a criminal mastermind, Amelia Pond,” the Doctor hummed.

“Ah, I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve,” Amy shrugged, smiling at the Doctor. “Not what is it?!” She exclaimed.

The Doctor took a deep breath and reached into his suit. He pulled out a small purple box and Amy’s eyes grew wide. For a moment she was sure she had stopped breathing entirely.

“If this is some clever ruse and there are earrings in there I’m gonna go mad,” Amy warned.

The Doctor chuckled and shook his head as he opened the box and revealed a bright, gleaming ring with a beautiful diamond at the very center. “This is why we had to stop. I was getting the right diamond.”

“Oh, my God,” Amy gasped. “You’re getting married!” She shrieked.

The Doctor laughed and put the ring back in his suit. “She hasn’t said yes, yet,” he sighed. “I still have to decide when to do it.”

“Oh, she’ll say yes,” Amy scoffed. “You two are perfect for each other. I can’t imagine her ever not wanting to marry you.”

“Well, we’ll see,” the Doctor hummed. He wasn’t going to walk in expecting anything and risk being greeted with the exact opposite. “But since you know, I’m going to need you to distract her. I have to hide this in my room where she can’t find it.”

“Why not hide it in some other room?” Amy wondered. “Y’know, one she isn’t in all the time?” She proposed with a small smile. 

“No, I can’t,” the Doctor shook his head. “I don’t want to risk the Tardis misplacing the room I choose to put this in. It’s too valuable.”

“Alright,” Amy nodded. “Then I’ll distract her, but only if you promise to propose to her soon. And I mean next month or so. Don’t put this off.”

“Yes. Fine,” the Doctor sighed, waving her up the steps to find Ariel.

“This is gonna be brilliant,” Amy giggled before running up the steps to find the brunette. She looked in the girl’s room but when she didn’t find her there, she tried the swimming pool. Still turning up empty, she went for the library and was genuinely surprised when amongst dozens of bookshelves, the brunette was nowhere to be found.

When she decided she should probably give up hope and head back to the console room and inform the Doctor, she heard a sharp bark of laughter behind a room to her left. She frowned towards the door and tiptoed cautiously, unsure if she had truly heard laughter. 

When it came again, she swung open the door and found Ariel in a recliner with a bowl of popcorn laughing as she watched some show on a flat screen television. She jumped when Amy entered the room and smiled softly when she realized who it was.

“Hey,” Ariel grinned. 

Amy glanced between the television and Ariel with a small frown. “How have I never discovered this room before?”

“Oh, it’s pretty small,” Ariel shrugged. “And with the amount of rooms the Tardis has it’s easy to overlook.”

“Still,” Amy mumbled. “I thought you spent all your time in the swimming pool or library when we weren’t out.”

“A girl can only swim round in chlorine for so long, Amy,” Ariel chuckled. “You wanna watch with me? I have enough popcorn for two and I’m just finishing up this episode.”

“What are you watching?” Amy asked as she walked over and took a seat beside Ariel.

“Friends,” Ariel smiled. “It used to be my Mum’s favorite show, but I’m not gonna stay on it for long,” she sighed.

“Why, what else are you watching?” Amy asked, grabbing a fistful of popcorn from the bowl Ariel placed between both their chairs. 

“Cujo,” Ariel said and Amy’s eyes inflated. 

“What?” Amy gasped. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah,” Ariel grinned. “I messaged everyone I know about it and they all said I shouldn’t watch it so I’m watching it,” she said. She kept her eyes focused on the television but unlocked her mobile and handed it to Amy so she could see.

On the screen there was a chat with Martha Jones open that read:

_ Hey, should I watch Cujo? I’m in the mood to see a horror movie -A _

_ NO! Don’t watch that movie! You’ll be terrified of your own dog. _

“What, are you a masochist or something?” Amy scoffed as she passed Ariel’s phone back to her.

“No, just an adrenaline junkie,” Ariel grinned. “I’ll be in here for the next hour and a half unless the Doctor says we’ve landed somewhere so if you don’t wanna hang out and watch a horror movie I won’t blame you.”

“No, no,” Amy sighed, sitting back in her chair. “It’s alright. I like horror movies.”

“Really?” Ariel frowned. “I didn’t take you for a horror movie fan.”

“I could say the same about you,” Amy chuckled. “I just thought you were always more into books and sci-fi.”

“Our life is a sci-fi movie,” Ariel giggled. “But I never really got into this stuff until after traveling with the Doctor, surprisingly. I guess I really got obsessed with the adrenaline rush,” she sighed.

“I guess that makes sense. Though are we really going to watch a movie about some rabid dog?” Amy winced.

“ _ We _ don’t have to,” Ariel chuckled. “But I am.”

Amy sighed softly and nodded. “Alright, then I will too,” she decided. “But I am  _ not  _ eating popcorn when we watch this.”

Ariel laughed and turned off the show to flick on the movie. 

~~~

An hour and a half later, Ariel and Amy both stared at the screen with wide eyes frozen in disbelief as the credits rolled. 

“That’s it?!” Amy exclaimed.

“Oh, my God!” Ariel cried.

“That was the most horrifying thing I have ever seen,” Amy moaned. “What the hell was wrong with that dog?!”

“He had rabies,” Ariel mumbled, shrugging as she spoke, unable to come up with a greater explanation.

“That was not rabies that was possession!” Amy snapped and Ariel snorted and nodded.

“I can’t really disagree with you there,” she sighed.

“That dog had a wooden bat broken over its face and head butted the car to try and get inside and he still survived!” Amy cried.

“I know,” Ariel said, her eyes large as she looked back at the screen.

The door opened and Ariel and Amy both screamed as the Doctor peered in and frowned at the pair of them.

“What’s wrong?” The Doctor asked.

“Ask your bloody girlfriend!” Amy snapped. “I’m not watching a movie with you again,” she sighed.

Ariel giggled and rolled her eyes at the redhead. “It wasn’t  _ that  _ bad,” she insisted.

“I was right, you are a masochist,” Amy scoffed. “The dog jumped through the window of the house just to get to a phone.”

“At least the little kid didn’t die,” Ariel shrugged. “If the little kid died then it would’ve been a truly horrible movie.”

“Alright, you’re not wrong there,” Amy mumbled, shrugging slightly. “But still if we ever watch a movie again, I’m choosing!” She snapped before marching out of the TV room. “I’m going to the library,” she called. “At least there won’t be any rabid dogs trying to eat me there!”

Ariel laughed and shook her head at the ginger. “Fine by me,” Ariel sighed as she leant back in the chair.

“What did you do to Amy?” The Doctor chuckled. 

“In my defense, I completely warned her about what she was getting into,” Ariel smiled.

“Which was?” The Doctor prompted with an amused grin.

“We watched Cujo,” Ariel shrugged. 

“What’s Cujo?” The Doctor frowned.

“It’s sort of about this rabid dog who’s more possessed than rabid and he kills a few people and keeps a mother and son trapped in their car for like three or four days,” Ariel explained.

“Bloody hell,” the Doctor hummed. “And you showed this to Amy?”

“Well, I told her she didn’t have to watch it with me!” Ariel exclaimed. 

The Doctor chuckled softly and wrapped Ariel in a hug. “I’m not upset. I’m actually quite amused she appeared properly distraught,” he remarked.

“Yeah, she may not sleep for a few days,” Ariel winced.

The Doctor laughed and wrapped his arm around Ariel’s shoulders. “Come on, let’s go to the console room and by all means avoid the anger that is Amelia Pond at this moment.”

Ariel giggled and nodded. “Probably a good idea.”

“Also a good idea,” the Doctor said as they marched into the console room. “Don’t show Amy Pond horror movies.”

“She said she liked them!” Ariel insisted. “I wouldn’t have played it if she said she didn’t like horror movies.”

“Well, then now we know, Amy is a very clever liar,” the Doctor shrugged.

“Yes, I am,” Amy hummed as she entered the console room. “But that hardly matters right now because I have something to show you lot,” she said, holding up a book.

“Oh, good, you didn’t find the book Cujo was based on,” Ariel chuckled.

“I steered clear of the horror section of the library thank you very much,” Amy nodded. “And when I did I found this,” she said. “The intrepid universe traveller handbook.”

“Wait, that actually exists?” Ariel frowned and the Doctor shrugged, apparently as unaware of the book as she was. 

“Yes, it does,” Amy nodded. “And it says that if you wanna properly call yourself a space traveller you’re supposed to have an adventure at least once a week.”

“Well,” the Doctor sighed, turning back to the console and not exactly minding that the book in his own library had just claimed they were not space travellers.

Amy turned to Ariel with wide eyes, silently begging the brunette to say something but Ariel just raised her hands in surrender and plopped down into the jumpseat. She had already upset the anger of Amy Pond once that day, she wasn’t going to risk doing it a second time.

“Well, we haven’t had an adventure in ages,” Amy moaned. “The only thing that’s gotten my adrenaline pumping in weeks is that stupid dog movie,” she muttered.

“Oh, don’t diss the movie just ‘cos you’re cross,” Ariel pouted. “But seriously, you’re angry about the dog movie one minute the next you’re upset we haven’t gone anywhere in a bit?”

“Well, I need a way to take my mind off it and being in the same Tardis for weeks isn’t going to exactly do much,” Amy shrugged. “I need an adventure,” she groaned.

“You’re absolutely right,” the Doctor nodded. “Adventure it is!” He exclaimed. He pulled out his sonic and aimed it right at the time rotors. 

A spark shot out and Ariel jumped back with wide eyes as Amy cried out at the sound.

“Oh, probably not best to do that after you lot have just watched a horror film, is it?” The Doctor winced.

“For starters,  _ no _ ,” Amy said firmly. “But what was that spark? What did you just do?”

“Exactly what you asked me to,” the Doctor shrugged. “I set the Tardis to adventure setting,” he said. He pulled one of the levers and sparks shot out once again. 

“Okay, I’m not sitting here anymore,” Ariel shook her head as the second set of sparks shot out at her in the span of just a few minutes.

“Pretty sure you set it to kill Amy, Ariel and the Doctor setting,” Amy muttered. 

“She’s right,” Ariel nodded. “Should I call River and ask her to come help?”

“Now, now, now, now, let’s not get hasty,” the Doctor instructed, holding out his hand to stop the brunette before she could even move towards her phone. “That was meant to happen,” he assured them.

He messed with some more controls and a long stream of smoke blew out of the console.

“And that?” Ariel prompted, raising an unconvinced eyebrow at the Doctor.

“So was that,” he nodded, his voice froggy as most of the steam had blown into his face. 

“I’m sure it was,” Amy nodded. “You have River on speed dial right?” She murmured to Ariel.

The brunette nodded immediately and fished her mobile out of her skirt pocket. 

“Hold on, hold on, hold on,” the Doctor hummed. “I can turn it down just a smidge,” he said.

“Before the Tardis explodes?” Ariel prompted. “Yeah, that would be nice.”

“Oh, the Tardis isn’t going to explode,” the Doctor moaned as he fiddled with the controls. A spark shot out and the Tardis started wheezing, tossing them about the console room furiously.

“What’s going on?!” Amy exclaimed. “What’s happening?!”

“Systems malfunctioning! Tardis crashing!” The Doctor cried.

“Oh,  _ great _ ,” Amy moaned. 

She and Ariel clung to the closest available railing and held on tightly as they were tossed off their feet and onto the Tardis floor. 

“Oh, that was fun,” Ariel sighed as the Doctor helped her up with an apologetic smile.

“So, where are we at this time?” Amy muttered, helping herself off the floor and frowning at the scanner.

Ariel giggled as she noticed the Doctor’s hair was twice its normal size. “Hopefully, we’re in the eighties,” she laughed as she smoothed his hair down.

He blushed bright pink at her as he fought to comb his hair down and when it seemed suitable, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

Ariel grinned against his chest while he frowned up at the scanner. “I’m not quite sure where we are,” the Doctor mumbled.

“Oh, that’s always a good sign,” Ariel sighed and the Doctor smiled softly and kissed the top of her head.

“It appears as though we may have landed in the middle of an Olympic running track,” he observed. 

Just as he said that, a man donning a blue and white striped shirt ran in with a large flaming torch in his hands and a crowd cheering behind him. He stared up at the Tardis with large eyes and Ariel shrugged.

“It appears as though you may be right,” Ariel said and Amy couldn’t help but laugh at her simply calm remark.

“Where am I?” The man gasped, staring up at the Tardis in horror. The Doctor, Ariel and Amy all walked up to greet him and the man frowned at the sight of the Doctor’s still unruly hair. “And what the heck’s  happened to your hair?” He asked and Ariel snickered.

“I tried to fix it,” Ariel shrugged. “It just won’t go down.”

“Yes, yes, yes,” the Doctor sighed, already tired of the remarks about his hair. “From the look of you, you’re an Olympic torch bearer, London 2012, if I’m not mistaken,” he hummed. “I’m the Doctor. This is Ariel and Amy. And welcome to my spaceship, the Tardis,” he chuckled. “Oh, and my hair, that’s a story for another time,” he shrugged.

“Yeah, a time in the eighties,” Ariel mumbled, grinning in amusement at how she seemed to have just made his hair worse by messing with it.

“Wait!” The torch bearer exclaimed, pulling them all to a halt. “There was something chasing me,” he remembered with a nod. “That’s why I didn’t see your… box?” He guessed.

“Spaceship,” Ariel corrected with a shrug. “But-.”

Before she could finish her sentence, the torch bearer turned around and just in the entrance of the Tardis stood a Weeping Angel. Ariel and Amy screamed at the sudden sight of it.

“Don’t blink,” the trio instructed in unison.

Sparks shot out from the Tardis and they all unwittingly blinked. They glanced back down at the torch bearer and he no longer held the Olympic torch in his hands. 

“Hey,” he gasped when he realized the Angel was holding the torch rather than himself. “How’d it do that?” He wondered.

“It moves when you look away. It’s stone when you look at it. It can move as fast as light when you even so much as blink,” Ariel explained rapidly.

“But what’s it doing?” Amy asked. 

“It’s trying to steal the Olympic flame and the very respect, friendship and exonence it represents,” the Doctor informed them.

“But I thought Weeping Angels only used time energy,” Ariel frowned. 

“It’s feeding off this energy as well. The energy from the flame gives it power. It’s trying to feed off that energy,” the Doctor said. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and smirked. “Well, at least it’s trying to,” he hummed.

He used his sonic screwdriver to increase the energy of the flame. He increased it enough so that with its energy and the energy of his screwdriver, the Weeping Angel was effectively blown to bits.

The torch bearer leaped after the torch and caught it just before it hit the ground. 

Ariel grinned at the Doctor as he smirked at his success. “Ha,” he smiled and put his sonic screwdriver back into his suit. 

“Wow,” the torch bearer gasped as he turned around with the torch now firmly in his hands once again. “Thanks, Doctor,” he smiled. “Better get going though,” he smirked. “I’ve gotta light the Olympic flame.” He pulled a small medal out of his pocket and grinned before tossing it to the Doctor. “Here, you deserve this.”

Ariel’s eyes widened when she spotted the gold medal with the purple ribbon in the Doctor’s hands. “Bloody hell,” she breathed.

“Well, thank you very much,” the Doctor beamed. He kissed the medal and jumped up and down, pretending as though he had just won in the middle of the Olympic games.

Ariel figured with the crowd cheering just outside the Tardis, pretending he had just won wasn’t exactly hard to do. 

“Good as gold you are, Doctor,” the runner said. 

The trio grinned at him as the Doctor placed the medal over his head. 

“Bye!” The three exclaimed, all waving to the runner and he smiled and ran out of the Tardis. 

Ariel ran down and started to close the door after him when she spotted the bits of the Angel still on the ground. “Huh,” she remarked and kicked the bits out. She hoped the Olympic runners wouldn’t mind having a bunch of stone on their track. 

She closed the door behind the runner and turned to the Doctor and Amy with a large grin.

“So, did that help you get your mind off Cujo?” Ariel wondered.

“It did until you just mentioned it,” Amy moaned.

Ariel winced. “Sorry,” she mumbled. 

“That’s okay, that’s fine,” the Doctor nodded. “Because we still need to go on an adventure,” he grinned. 

Ariel giggled and ran up to his side as he started up the time rotors on the Tardis and sent them flying once again.


	21. The Lodger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By far one of my favorite episodes of Eleven's time. I love how simple it is and it is certainly fun to write this portraying the Doctor in a relationship. You get to have a taste of what could be a domestic normal life between the two of them. Enjoy!

After about a month of traveling on adventures constantly, and once every week as Amy’s book required, the Doctor suggested taking them to the fifth moon of the Cindie Colesta for a mini vacation. Ariel and Amy weren’t entirely convinced nothing would go wrong, but they agreed nonetheless.

However, when they landed, things seemed a bit off on the scanner.

“Doctor?” Amy prompted. “Is something wrong?”

“It’s not giving me an outside view,” the Doctor mumbled with a small frown. 

“Well, did we even land in the right spot?” Amy wondered. 

“I’m not sure,” the Doctor murmured. “I’ll check,” he shrugged. “Just a mo.”

“I’ll come with you,” Ariel nodded. She placed her book down beside her on the jumpseat and skipped up to the Doctor’s side.

The Doctor smiled and held the door open for her and they peered outside to find they were not on some moon as they had hoped but rather on an ordinary street in London.

“Well, are we there?” Amy prompted.

“No, Amy, it's definitely not the fifth moon of Cindie Colesta,” the Doctor sighed.

“I think I can see a Ryman’s,” Ariel said, narrowing her eyes across the street with a bemused grin stretching across her lips.

All of a sudden, there was a loud explosion in the Tardis knocking them off their feet and out of the Tardis. 

The Tardis began dematerializing and Ariel and the Doctor spun around towards it exchanging a wide-eyed gaze.

“Amy! Amy!” The Doctor cried, scrambling to his feet as he watched the Tardis disappear.

“Where would it be going?” Ariel wondered.

“I have no idea,” the Doctor mumbled. 

“Well, do you know if we can get in contact with Amy?” Ariel asked. “Because my mobile won’t be able to call her while the Tardis is in flight.”

“I know,” the Doctor sighed, raking his fingers through his hair and keeping his gaze fixated on the spot the Tardis had dematerialized from. “I’m not sure what we do.”

“Well, then,” Ariel said, taking a deep breath and turning to the street they had been tossed upon. “Until we figure it out I saw we go on a little adventure,” she proposed. “Walk around London, maybe get a bite and try not to worry about what could be happening to the Tardis and Amy at this moment.”

The Doctor seemed hesitant at the very idea of leaving that spot and Ariel sighed softly and grabbed his hand. She knew that though his concern was chewing on his insides at the moment if he just sat there waiting they would achieve nothing. Perhaps, there was a reason or some kind of cause in that street forcing the Tardis to dematerialize as it had done, but they would never know for sure if they sat and waited in some small park.

The Doctor seemed to realize this because with a sigh he conceded and turned to her. “Alright,” he nodded. “Let’s go.”

They walked down the street, keeping their eye out for anything that might come of interest or be out of the ordinary when the Doctor caught sight of something in the paper shop window.

“Hold on,” the Doctor frowned. He backtracked towards the window and narrowed his eyes at one specific ad. 

Above the advertisement for an available loft. There was a note that read:  _ Doctor, Ariel- this one no 79a Aickman Road -Amy xx. _

“Is that-?” Ariel started, but before she could even complete her thought, the Doctor finished it for her with a nod.

“Amy,” he breathed. “But I don’t believe she’s written this yet,” he hummed.

“How can she have?” Ariel scoffed at the very idea. “We had no idea we’d wind up here.”

“Which is why we need to get that ad,” the Doctor nodded. And so they did, they headed inside and took the ad.

Ariel frowned at the information listed. “This says he only wants one flat mate though,” she mumbled, unsure of how the Doctor was going to get through that dilemma.

“Oh, he’ll take the pair of us,” the Doctor assured her with a dismissive wave of his hand. 

“But, how?” Ariel wondered, her unspoken question still left up in the air.

“Because of this,” the Doctor mumbled. He passed the ad to her and fished around in his suit for a moment before victoriously pulling out a small paper bag. He unfolded it to reveal piles of money tucked within.

Ariel could do nothing more than helplessly stare at the money with her mouth agape. When she finally did speak, it was only to address him in a tone she often found herself using with the man she loved so much. “Are you seriously keeping what looks to be hundreds of quid tucked away in your suit for wherever we go?” 

“Yeah,” the Doctor shrugged, not seeing the problem and major concern tagged onto this lifestyle choice.

However, Ariel had long since learned not to address the Doctor’s odd habits too in detail or she may very well risk her head spinning. She simply chose to love and accept all his odd little quirks for they set him apart from the norm and attracted her to him. 

“How is it I never feel all the stuff you’ve got in there when I take your coat?” She wondered. “And how is it you don’t feel it?” She added, now finding herself curious as to why the Doctor was not consistently weighed down by the weight of items he carried in his suit. 

The Doctor smiled that childish grin that whispered delight at the mysteries left to be uncovered in the universe. “Magic,” he sighed, twirling his hands as he spun around and started strutting ahead of her. 

Ariel froze in her place on the cement watching him walk away with a small but loving smirk, that could demonstrate her love for the man strolling away to any strange passerby simply from the volume behind her grin.

“I believe you,” she shrugged, and she did. Often, travelling with a space alien left a lot to be wondered about though there was no shortage of the Doctor trying to explain it for her, she knew there were moments in any time traveller’s life that couldn’t be explained by science or logic. Some brief encounters were just magical.

In fact, if she had to explain the man she loved to someone who didn’t have a clue who he was she was certain the word magic would fall in there somewhere especially now that she knew all he was capable of when faced against the universe. 

The brunette skipped up to his side and grabbed his hand, happy to carry on walking by his side before he fell to a stop as she had done moments earlier. Ariel turned and pouted at the lack of an explanation for his freeze in the middle of the cement.

“Oh, tricky,” the Doctor hummed. “Tricky dicky.”

“What is?” Ariel wondered.

“We need to have a way to get in contact with Amy so if and when she does fall out of the time vortex, we can ensure her safety,” the Doctor said.

“Okay, but how are we meant to know when the Tardis gets out of the time vortex?” Ariel wondered.

“This,” the Doctor smiled, holding up his sonic screwdriver like a small child demonstrating his favorite toy.

Ariel grinned and nodded. “Alright, now I’m getting it,” she hummed. “What are we going to hook the sonic up to? My mobile, or-.”

“I need a Bluetooth!” The Doctor exclaimed before turning and running in the opposite direction back to the shops.

“He’s getting a Bluetooth,” Ariel muttered, shrugging to herself. She turned to see the Doctor already halfway down the street and smiled, sighing softly as she started to run after him.

~~~

Once they had gotten a Bluetooth for the Doctor, they headed back to 79a Aickman Road to where the Doctor happily pressed the buzzer like a small child.

Ariel giggled and shook her head at him as she took his hand in hers. “Sometimes I swear you’re more of a little kid then a nine hundred year old alien,” she sighed.

“Oh, I can’t help it,” the Doctor grinned. “I love these things,” he shrugged helplessly as though he were just a mere victim to the delight the doorbell provided him. “We should get one in the Tardis.”

“How would that even work?” Ariel chuckled. “A police box doesn’t have a doorbell,” she reminded him.

“Oh, it’s my Tardis I can do what I like,” the Doctor sighed, uncaring of what rules may prevent him from making the adjustments he liked.

“Yeah, I doubt she’ll agree with that,” Ariel scoffed. The Tardis was known to be particularly fussy whenever the Doctor tried to “fix” her. The brunette doubted she would take any joy in the Time Lord wiring a doorbell inside her.

As the Doctor opened his mouth to respond, the door swung open and a man, stout yet baring a face that was just kind enough to say he may allow himself to be taken advantage of for the sake of friendly company.

Without even casting a glance at the Doctor and Ariel, three words feel from his lips that Ariel snicker in both amusement and sympathy for the man who had been clearly expecting the face of another behind the door.

“Well, that's good, because we’re your new lodgers,” the Doctor smiled, his mind not focusing on the obvious shock written across his face. “Do you know, this is going to be easier than I expected,” he hummed, casting a cheerful gaze down at Ariel.

He took a set of keys from the man’s fingers with bright pink fuzz and Ariel snorted at the very sight of them. They were keys clearly intended for another person rather than a lodger of indeterminate gender or personality, but the Doctor hardly seemed to notice or care. 

“But I only put the advert up today,” the man shrugged, unaware that somebody could pick up an advert and arrive so quickly, determined to live with him. “I didn't put my address,” he reasoned, silently questioning how the pair could have located him without an address tacked on.

Ariel and the Doctor shared a knowing smirk at just how they had uncovered where he lived. Amy Pond was to thank for their seemingly impossible knowledge, though the beauty of time travel was even the redhead at that moment had no idea that they had her to thank.

“Well, aren't you lucky we came along?” The Doctor chuckled. “More lucky than you know. Less of a young professional, more of an ancient amateur, but frankly I'm an absolute dream,” he hummed, beaming down at Ariel who couldn’t help but nod in agreement.

“He’s not wrong,” Ariel shrugged. 

“Wait, I only asked for one tenant,” the man remembered. “I don’t have enough room for the pair of you.”

“Oh, that’s alright,” the Doctor sighed. “Ariel here hardly takes up any room at all.”

“I’m not that short!” Ariel shrieked. “Honestly,” she said, rolling her eyes. Wilf had called her short as well though she could never see it. She was only 5’7 after all. 

“No, I don’t mean that,” the man shook her head. “I meant I’ve only got one room and it’s not exactly spacious.”

“Ah, that’s fine,” the Doctor nodded. “We share rooms all the time.”

“What are you two together?” The man frowned.

“Yeah, and?” Ariel prompted with a shrug.

“Well, I-just-I’m not sure if I want a couple staying with me,” the man answered awkwardly, hardly knowing the pair but still cautious of what they thought of him. “And give me back those keys,” he snapped, snatching the keys out of the Doctor’s hands. He seemed to being fondling the set of fluffy pink keys the second they fell back into his hands. 

It was strange, though walking on eggshells in normal conversation the man seemed to be drawn and almost defensive of the set of keys as though defending who or what they may belong to.

The Doctor glanced down at Ariel with a small bemused grin. It was as though they were looking at a mirror image of themselves just two years earlier. Both scared to death of admitting how they felt and risking a cold rejection, but still entirely protective of the other, willing to give up their lives in a moment for just a promise of safety granted to the other. 

“Yes, quite right,” the Doctor nodded. “Have some rent,” he said, gladly passing the paper bag full of money to the man.

He watched them warily as though unsure of whether or not to accept a mysterious paper bag filled with what he had only been told was money by two complete strangers. Eventually, he peered into the bag and his eyebrows shot up his forehead at the large amount of cash being handed to him.

“I know,” Ariel chuckled. “I had the same reaction.”

“Is it really a lot of money?” The Doctor frowned. “It looks like a lot,” he nodded as he looked up to the man who was still frozen staring at the bag. “Ariel says it's a lot so it’s probably a lot,” he shrugged.

“You’re not wrong there,” Ariel smiled. Though she loved him, the Doctor didn’t know much about human money. He hardly ever needed to use it or even carry it, so why bother. It really didn’t seem like a big deal until the rare occasions when he was actually required to exchange cash and fell utterly helpless. The Doctor flashed a quick but grateful grin towards her as he walked up to the front door.

He stepped past the man who almost instinctively let them through at the sight of how much money they could actually pay.

They headed inside where just above the staircase there was a door with a light just beside it flickering as though whoever laid within that room was using a hell of a lot of power but simply did not care.

“Don't spend it all on sweets, unless you like sweets,” the Doctor flashed a quick but childish grin over his shoulder at the man displaying his boyish love for sugar. “I like sweets.”

“Yeah, a bit too much for someone with his energy levels,” Ariel giggled.

The Doctor chuckled and spun around to the man. He placed his hands on his shoulders and gave him air kisses, one on each cheek. 

“Doctor,” Ariel murmured, noticing the man’s complete bewilderment at his actions.

The Doctor frowned, unsure of why Ariel was giving him the look she usually shot him when something was very wrong in how he addressed other people. Most of the time it had been when he was unaware of just how rude he was being, but on occasion she did glare at him when he was giving an awkward greeting.

“That's how we greet each other nowadays, isn't it?” The Doctor prompted.

Ariel shook her head slowly, her eyes wide and flooded with genuine concern that this man may see just how odd they really are.

“Oh, well,” the Doctor shrugged, turning to the man with an unfazed grin. “I’m the Doctor. Well, they call me the Doctor,” he sighed. “I don't know why. I call me the Doctor, too. Still don't know why,” he frowned as though genuinely trying to work out why he called himself the Doctor.

Ariel just giggled and shook her head at him. She stepped forward and held out her hand to the man.

“I’m Ariel Parsons,” she introduced, shaking his hand kindly.

“Ah, we’re in the age of the handshake,” the Doctor hummed. Ariel chuckled and nodded. It was just plain adorable to watch him get time periods mixed up.

The man frowned and shook his head at the Doctor, likely attributing his odd behavior to just an odd personality. “Craig Owens,” he introduced himself. “The Doctor?” He prompted, curious about the strange name his new lodger held.

“Yep,” the Doctor snipped, cutting off any further conversation that might have been bought with the single word. “Who lives upstairs?” He asked, pointing to the flat draining the power.

“Just some bloke,” Craig shrugged.

“What bloke?” Ariel asked. ‘Some bloke’ wasn’t exactly a lengthy description of someone who may or may not be cause for the Doctor and Ariel to be concerned.

“What’s he look like?” The Doctor asked.

“Normal,” Craig shrugged. “He’s very quiet,” he remarked.

As if to contradict his words, a loud crash from the flat made Craig wince.

The Doctor sighed, uninterested in staring at a door that he already intended to investigate as time passed. He grabbed Ariel’s hand and marched into Craig’s flat.

He was immediately distracted by the large blot of rot in on the roof. He frowned and narrowed his eyes at the rot look a bit stranger than what one would expect rot to look like. It looked like it was infecting the flat and it was coming straight from the tenant upstairs. 

Ariel and the Doctor exchanged a knowing look. If they were right, they just found the reason why the Tardis was acting up and it was living right upstairs from them.

“I suppose that’s dry rot?” The Doctor guessed, already knowing full well that it likely was not.

“Or damp,” Craig suggested with a shrug. “Or mildew.”

“Or none of the above,” the Doctor mumbled so only Ariel could hear and she nodded firmly, agreeing that the rot was likely not as simple as it seemed.

“I’ll get someone to fix it,” Craig assured them, thinking the rot may risk turning them away.

Ariel and the Doctor gazed at each other with wide eyes. If that rot really was not what it seemed and someone touched it with the good intention of trying to fix it there was no telling what could happen.

“No, I'll fix it,” the Doctor assured him with a shake of his head. I'm good at fixing rot. Call me the Rotmeister,” he beamed.

“That’s a rubbish name,” Ariel remarked with a small frown. “Sounds like a superhero who’s sole intent is dealing with rot.”

“No, you’re right, I'm the Doctor, don't call me the Rotmeister,” the Doctor sighed, dismissing the name with a wave of his hand as though he were tossing the very thought away. He chose instead to focus on something else and beamed at the sitting room spinning around in delight. “This is the most beautiful parlour I have ever seen,” he remarked and Ariel giggled and shook her head as he sat upon the counter and beamed at her and Craig. “You're obviously a man of impeccable taste. We can stay, Craig, can't we? Say we can,” he insisted.

“Wha-uh-You haven’t even seen the room,” Craig reminded him with a small frown.

“The room?” The Doctor prompted, already confused by what Craig meant.

“Our room?” Ariel reminded him, raising an amused eyebrow at the man she loved.

“Ah,” the Doctor smiled, immediately brightening at the mention of their room. “Yes,” he nodded. “Our room,” he grinned. “Take us to our room.”

Ariel giggled at his sheer delight while Craig took a moment to frown at his strange diction before shrugging, ultimately deciding to go along with it and guiding them to the room they would be inhabiting.

“So, did this room belong to someone or are you just giving off a spare room you got?” Ariel wondered.

“This is Mark's old room,” Craig said. “He owns the place. Moved out about a month ago. This uncle he'd never even heard of died and left a load of money in the will,” he chuckled, a slight tone of jealousy evident when he spoke.

“How very convenient,” the Doctor hummed, his deadpanned tone showing it was anything but. “This’ll do just right,” he smiled. “You like it?”

Ariel frowned and peered around the room awash in eighties decor. “Yeah,” she decided. “It’ll do.”

“Brilliant,” the Doctor grinned. “In fact,” he mumbled before licking his finger and placing it just ahead of him. Right after he did so, there was another loud crash from above. “No time to lose,” he decided with a nod. “We'll take it,” he said and faltered when he realized something was missing “Ah you'll want to see our credentials. There,” he said, holding up the psychic paper. “National Insurance numbers,” he said, barely Craig a moment to inspect it before passing the psychic paper to his other hand behind his back and displaying it once again. “NHS numbers,” he said before repeating the same action. “References,” he sighed finally holding up the paper longer than the last few so Craig may properly inspect it.

“Is that a reference from the Archbishop of Canterbury?!” Craig exclaimed, entirely bewildered by the paper before him. 

“He owes us a favor,” the Doctor shrugged.

“He owes me a cake,” Ariel sighed. “He forgot my birthday. April fifth by the way. Don’t make the same mistakes,” she advised with a kind smile.

The Doctor nodded, chuckling softly at her words as technically she had forgotten her own birthday due to the effects of time travel. His smile when he heard her tummy rumbling. She frowned and turned to the Doctor, trying to rack her memory for the last time she ate.

However, the Doctor was thinking along a very different track.

“Right then,” the Doctor said, clapping his hands together and effectively startling Craig, “Let’s eat!” He exclaimed, marching out of the room and immediately making a beeline for the kitchen.

“I haven't got anything in,” Craig said, frowning after the Doctor as Ariel giggled delightfully making the Doctor instinctively toss a grin over his shoulder. The brunette dropped onto the sofa while Craig marched up to the Doctor’s side when he began pulling ingredients out of the fridge and tossing them onto the counter.

“You've got everything I need for an omelette fines herbes, pour trois,” the Doctor shrugged and Ariel’s eyes grew large. She sat up straighter and peered over the sofa at the Doctor.

“I love omelette fines herbes!” She exclaimed. She was fairly rubbish at making anything other than pancakes for breakfast and so the Doctor never disappointed with his lessons in cooking from Paris. 

The Doctor beamed at her as he cracked an egg over his pan. “So, who's the girl on the fridge?” He asked.

Ariel frowned and peered over the sofa curiously, narrowing her eyes at the image on the fridge.

“My friend,” Craig shrugged. “Sophie.”

“Girlfriend?” The Doctor prompted, raising an eyebrow at Craig.

“A friend who is a girl,” Craig corrected, though his tone obviously conveyed he hoped for more than that. “There's nothing going on,” he shook his head.

The Doctor chuckled softly as he noticed that along with Ariel. “Oh, that’s completely normal,” he nodded, finding no cause for concern with Craig. “Works for me.”

Ariel smiled gently and walked up to the Doctor’s side, grabbing a Cola from the fridge and climbing up on the counter.

“We met at work about a year ago, at the call centre,” Craig told them.

“Oh really, a communications exchange? That could be handy,” the Doctor remarked.

“Usually a rubbish place to work though,” Ariel frowned. “I’ve seen those on telly and they look like such dull jobs.”

“Firm's going down,” Craig nodded. “The bosses  _ are  _ using a totally rubbish business model. I know what they should do. I got a plan all worked out. But I'm just a phone drone, I can't go running in saying I know best,” he said and shook his head, seeming to wake up from his mindless storytelling. He glanced up at Ariel and the Doctor with large eyes. “Why am I telling you two this? I don't even know you.”

“I did the same thing when I met him,” Ariel giggled. “Started telling him all about my Mum and my family.”

“Well, I've got one of those faces,” the Doctor shrugged. “People never stop blurting out their plans while I'm around.”

Craig seemed ready to ask more questions about the Doctor’s phrasing, but he resigned with a shake of his head. “Right,” Craig mumbled. “Where’s your stuff?”

“Yeah, where is our stuff?” Ariel wondered with a small frown.

“Oh, don't worry, it'll materialise,” the Doctor assured her. “If all goes to plan.”

“Should I go out and wait?” Ariel asked. 

“Nah,” the Doctor smiled. “Then you’ll miss the omelette fines herbes,” he hummed as he pulled out a plate and placed some omelettes on it. 

Ariel grinned and they all sat down to begin eating.

When they finished, Craig appeared entirely floored with the meal he had just demolished.

“Oh, that was incredible,” Craig gasped. “That was absolutely brilliant. Where did you learn to cook?” He wondered.

“Paris, in the eighteenth century,” the Doctor smiled and Ariel snorted when his smile fell as he realized that didn’t seem to be anywhere near the age they were in. “No, hang on, that's not recent, is it? Seventeenth? No, no, no,” he shook his head.

“Ahem, twentieth or twenty-first, Doctor,” Ariel mumbled and his eyes widened.

“Twentieth,” he corrected with a nod. “Sorry, I'm not used to doing them in the right order.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you're a bit weird?” Craig frowned.

“All the time,” Ariel nodded.

“They never really stop,” the Doctor chuckled. “Ever been to Paris, Craig?”

“Nah,” Craig shook his head. “I can't see the point of Paris,” he shrugged. “I'm not much of a traveller.”

“I can tell from your sofa,” the Doctor nodded, eyeing the identical sofa and man warily. Sitting on a brown sofa with two very identifiable rolls in it meant it wasn’t a very good idea for Craig to wear a brown shirt of almost the same exact shade.

“My sofa?” Craig frowned, not seeing the resemblance.

“You’re starting to look like it,” the Doctor remarked and Ariel snorted. After all this time there were occasions when she truly believed he would keep the things they were both thinking to himself.

Craig, however, took it all in good nature and started laughing. “Thanks, mate,” he chuckled. “That’s lovely,” he sighed. “No, I like it here,” he shrugged. “I'd miss it, I'd miss-,” he mumbled and Ariel brushed the Doctor’s shoulder, nodding to the set of pink fuzzy keys. He was fondling them once again. 

Ten guesses could tell her the identity of the woman who owned those keys without much trouble. 

“Those keys,” the Doctor hummed at the observation.

“What?” Craig frowned, snapped out of his trance for a mere moment.

“You’re sort of fondling them,” the Doctor remarked with a slight shrug, unsure of whether to identify that as a good thing.

“I’m holding them,” Craig corrected, frowning at the Doctor.

“If holding implies petting then sure,” Ariel murmured.

“Right,” the Doctor nodded.

“Anyway,” Craig shook his head, quick to change the subject. He got up and the Doctor and Ariel quickly followed for him to pull out a pair of keys from a set of drawers by the door and handed them to the couple. “These, these are your keys. I only had a single batch made, of course,” he shrugged. “But we can make some copies first thing tomorrow.”

“We can stay?” The Doctor prompted with a small smile.

“Yeah, you're weird and you can cook,” Craig chuckled. “It's good enough for me,” he nodded and held up the keys. “Right. Outdoor, front door, your door,” he listed, holding up each of the keys in turn.

“Ha ha! Yes!” The Doctor laughed. “Me with a key,” he hummed.

Ariel giggled and nodded. “I’m gonna go get our stuff,” she nodded. “Should be here by now.”

The Doctor smiled and nodded as she left the flat, the door opening to a resounding crash from upstairs. She winced and turned to the men with irritation etched across her brow. 

“I’m not going to enjoy that,” she moaned and the Doctor sighed softly and nodded in agreement as she ran out to find their belongings.

When she was gone, Craig turned to the Doctor in earnestness. 

“Listen, Mark and I, we had an arrangement where if the pair of you ever need me out of your hair, just give me a shout, okay?” Craig instructed.

The Doctor nodded, pretending to entirely understand what he was saying, but in all honesty he didn’t have a clue. “Why would I want that?”

“Well, in case you two ever want to-you know,” Craig nodded and the Doctor blossomed bright red.

“Oh, right-yes-erm,” the Doctor mumbled, sincerely wishing Ariel would fly through the door at that moment and wipe away that awkward conversation from his memory. He turned, desperate for a distraction when his eyes gratefully fell upon the rot in the ceiling. “By the way, that,” the Doctor nodded, still gulping harshly and allowing the red in his cheeks to die down. “The rot. I've got the strangest feeling we shouldn't touch it,” he murmured.

Craig frowned at him but nodded nonetheless, deciding he’d rather not touch the rot anyway.

~~~

Later that night, Ariel finished bringing the last of their belongings into the room while the Doctor fell back onto the bed and called out to Amy with his earpiece.

“Earth to Pond, Earth to Pond. Come in, Pond,” the Doctor called.

“Doctor!” Amy exclaimed shooting massive feedback at his earpiece making the Doctor wince and Ariel giggle.

“Could you not wreck my new earpiece, Pond?” The Doctor moaned.

“Sorry,” Amy mumbled.

“Have you told her about the letter yet?” Ariel asked as she hung up the last shirt and crawled onto the bed by the Doctor’s side.

“No, I was just about to,” the Doctor shook his head. 

“What letter?” Amy asked.

“We got a message from you that you haven’t written yet,” the Doctor informed her.

“Ah, time travel,” Amy hummed, chuckling softly. “What did it say?”

“Nothing of interest,” the Doctor shook his head. “Just directed us to a flat where the upstairs neighbour is definitely more than a bit odd.”

“Do you think that could be causing whatever is happening to the Tardis?” Amy wondered.

“Dunno yet,” the Doctor mumbled. “But that’s likely the case,” he nodded. “How’s the Tardis coping?”

“See for yourself,” Amy sighed and lifted her speaker up so he could hear the whines of the Tardis.

“Ooo, nasty,” the Doctor mumbled.

“What is it?” Ariel asked.

“She's locked in a materialisation loop, trying to land again, but she can’t,” the Doctor sighed.

“And whatever's stopping her is upstairs in that flat,” Amy nodded. “So, go upstairs and sort it.”

“We don't know what it is yet,” the Doctor shook his head. “Anything that can stop the Tardis from landing is big. Scary big,” he muttered.

“Wait. Are you scared?” Amy asked.

“We don’t know what we’re facing here, Amy,” Ariel said. “We have to put in a little more time.”

“Getting that,” Amy nodded. “But what do you two think could be in there?”

“Dunno,” the Doctor shrugged. “Have to learn more to get a good idea of just what it could be.”

“My problem if it’s aliens why would they just pose as an ordinary flat and stay quiet for the most part, at least according to Craig,” Ariel frowned.

“That’s what we’re here to find out,” the Doctor sighed. “But we can't go up there until we know what it is and how to deal with it,” he reminded her. “And it is vital that this man upstairs doesn't realise who and what I am. So no sonicking. No advanced technology. I can only use this because we're on scramble. To anyone else hearing this conversation, we're talking absolute gibberish,” he hummed.

“Wait, properly?” Ariel scoffed. 

“Yep,” the Doctor smiled. “Just random phrases that make absolutely no sense,” he said. “But never mind that,” he shrugged. “I’ve got to pass as an ordinary human being. Simple. What could possibly go wrong?”

Ariel snorted. “You know every time someone says ‘what could possibly go wrong’ every possible thing goes wrong. It’s about as bad as saying ‘things can’t possibly get any worse’.”

“And have you seen you?” Amy nodded.

“So the pair of you are just going to be snide,” the Doctor sighed. “No helpful hints?”

“Hmm. Well, here's one. Bow tie, get rid,” Amy advised.

“Bow ties are cool,” the Doctor said and Ariel snickered.

“They’re not,”  Ariel shook her head. “I love you and all and I’ll support you if you really enjoy wearing bow ties but they’re not cool.”

The Doctor just rolled his eyes and pulled on a pair of shades that made Ariel laugh. “Come on you two, I'm a normal bloke. Tell me what normal blokes do,” he insisted.

“They watch telly, they play football, they go down the pub,” Amy listed.

“I could do those things,” the Doctor nodded. “I don't, but I could.”

“Are you forgetting one of the reasons I love you is because you  _ don’t  _ do those things?” Ariel frowned. “You’re not a normal bloke.”

“Ah, but it’ll be nice to pretend for a bit,” the Doctor chuckled as he plopped back down on the bed by her side. 

“I suppose so, but-,” Ariel said and was cut off by a loud bang just above them.

Ariel and the Doctor both jumped from their seats and stared up at the ceiling with large eyes. 

“Amy?!” The Doctor exclaimed, pressing his earpiece to his ear.

“Doctor, the clock,” Ariel murmured, pointing towards the hands on the small clock on the wall which were spinning out of control.

“Interesting,” the Doctor nodded, glancing down at his wristwatch to find it acting the same. “Localised time loop.”

“Whatever he’s doing upstairs is causing all this?” Ariel scoffed.

“Apparently so,” the Doctor nodded.

“Ow. What’s all that?” Amy groaned.

“Time distortion,” the Doctor informed her. “Whatever's happening upstairs is still affecting you.”

“Blimey, no wonder the Tardis kicked us out,” Ariel mumbled, watching the clock with large eyes.

Once it died down, the Doctor let out a huff of relief and leant back in the bed. 

“It’s stopped,” Amy announced. “Ish,” she winced. “How about your end?”

“Our end’s good,” the Doctor replied, nodding to Ariel as he spoke.

“So, doesn’t sound great, but nothing to worry about?” Amy hoped.

“No, no, no, not really. Just keep the zigzag plotter on full,” the Doctor instructed, watching Ariel with a concern in his eyes that said there was most certainly something to worry about. “That’ll protect you.”

“Ow!” Amy cried from within the Tardis, obviously getting something wrong as the Doctor sighed softly and rolled his eyes.

“Amy, I said the zigzag plotter,” the Doctor reminded her with his tone slightly  accusatory when he spoke.

“I pulled the zigzag plotter,” Amy whined.

“What, you're standing with the door behind you?” The Doctor guessed.

“Yes,” Amy nodded.

“Okay, take two steps to your right and pull it again,” the Doctor instructed. She sighed softly in relief and the Doctor flashed a smile at Ariel, jumping off the bed and heading to the door. “Need to pick up a few items,” he announced and she nodded, falling back onto the mattress as he left. 

“If you get back and I’m asleep, just wake me up,” she said.

The Doctor nodded absentmindedly to her as she got comfortable in the bed and quickly dozed off to sleep.

~~~

The next morning, Ariel ran through the house cooking pancakes and getting all the Doctor’s items organized and out of the way if Craig decided to sneak a peek in their room. They all seemed extremely odd and out of place to her, but if she knew anything about the Doctor she knew he would take items she thought nothing of and turn them into something she couldn’t even understand how to build.

She spun through the house, carrying through with activities she normally would be engaging in during mornings on the Tardis as the Doctor seemed to be doing the same, singing loudly from within the shower.

“Ta ra ra boom de ay quanda rilo,” the Doctor sang at the top of his lungs and she smiled softly, recognizing the tune to be from one of her favorite operas  _ Rigoletto. _ She had a preference for foreign languages when it came to operas as she felt understanding what the cast was saying when they sang took all the fun out of feeling their emotions deeply even with a language barrier.

“Doctor,” Craig called, his tone clearly annoyed as he knocked softly on the door. 

Ariel winced. She was certain he had been waiting quite a long time for the bathroom. The Doctor did tend to enjoy sitting in the shower for what could be over an hour singing from musicals or operas and enjoying a good wash, unaware that other people may need to get inside.

“Hello?” The Doctor sang. 

“How long are you going to be in there?” Craig asked irritably.

“Oh, sorry. I like a good soak,” the Doctor called back apologetically.

Ariel chuckled and shook her head at the man, her attention pulled back to the pancakes quickly as one began to burn. 

“La donna è mobile Qual piuma al vento, Muta d'accento — e di pensier,” Ariel hummed softly, the tune of La Donna e Mobile now stuck in her head. 

There was a banging upstairs again and Ariel glanced up with a frown. Craig claimed the man upstairs was normally quiet but it seemed ever since she and the Doctor had arrived all he could ever do was make noise. 

She heard Craig say something but couldn’t make it out as the stove hissed at her when she dripped on the batter for the third pancake. 

“What did you say?” The Doctor called, apparently unable to make out what Craig had said either.

“I'm just going to go upstairs,” Craig said. “See if he's okay,” he mumbled.

“Wait, Craig, don’t!” Ariel called and as he marched out of the flat she tried to run after them until she smelled the pancake burning. 

“Sorry? What did you say?!” The Doctor called but Craig was already gone.

Ariel ran back to turn off the stove and darted into the bathroom. There was a loud thud as she swung the door open and the Doctor fell face first onto the tile, stark naked. 

“Ow,” the Doctor moaned and Ariel was caught between laughing and helping him to his feet. 

She decided on both, laughing as she helped him unravel himself from the shower curtain.

“Thanks-I-,” the Doctor began and slipped down once again as he tried to take a step on the slippery plastic curtain.

“Doctor!” Ariel exclaimed, wrought with amusement as she watched him and almost entirely forgetting the very real threat posed to Craig at that moment. 

The Doctor fumbled around in a small cup containing Craig’s toothbrush and his sonic screwdriver. Thinking he was going to grab the sonic then run out, she tossed him a blue towel and darted out to try and catch Craig.

She caught Craig, just as he was heading back down the steps and frowned at his seemingly alright state of being. 

“Are you okay?” Ariel asked, narrowing her eyes at he shut flat door behind him.

“Yeah, I-,” Craig began to chuckle, unsure of why she thought him to be in any kind of danger when the Doctor came scrambling out of the flat like a cartoon character, his towel sliding down his waist as he spun to the steps and aimed his sonic up at the flat.

It was, by far, one of the most entertaining sights Ariel ever had the pleasure of laying her eyes upon.

She didn’t even fight to conceal her laughter as the Doctor, who’s brown hair was usually pushed up just before it fell into his eyes, could hardly see with the mess of hair concealing his vision. He pointed an electric toothbrush at the closed flat and pressed the button, making it whir menacingly at whatever threat may try to approach Craig or Ariel.

“What’s happened, what’s going on?” The Doctor gasped.

Craig snorted and raised an eyebrow at Ariel who simply shrugged, unable to explain the actions of the nine hundred year old alien she loved. She knew he meant well by trying to protect Craig but there wasn’t a simple explanation for why her boyfriend stood bare naked apart from a towel pointing a toothbrush at what Craig thought to be an ordinary door without clueing Craig in to the danger at hand.

“Is that my toothbrush?” Craig frowned, likely deciding to focus on one ridiculous thing at a time when assessing the Doctor’s appearance. 

“Correct,” the Doctor mumbled, glancing down at his toothbrush and seeming to just realize it was a toothbrush and not his screwdriver. “You spoke to the man upstairs?” He prompted, much more fascinated by what was supposed to be danger and yet somehow was not.

“Yeah,” Craig shrugged.

“What did he look like?” The Doctor asked and Ariel found herself leaning toward Craig with a single eyebrow raised, curious of the answer as well.

“More normal than you do at the moment, mate,” Craig chuckled and Ariel sighed, so he was able to look human. That didn’t help them at all figuring out what he was or where he was from. “What are you doing?”

“I thought you might be in trouble,” the Doctor mumbled, shrugging absentmindedly.

“Thanks,” Craig nodded, not seeming grateful at all. “Well, if I ever am, you can come and save me with my toothbrush,” he sighed.

Ariel giggled and shook her head, heading back into the flat to finish the pancakes while the Doctor remained and narrowed his eyes at the door at the top of the steps, curious to find what secrets the man inside may be hiding.

Craig’s mobile rang out and he quickly answered it, his tone elated as he spoke to the individual on the other end.

Ariel held up a plate of pancakes for him and raised an eyebrow. He simply smiled and nodded his thanks, gesturing vaguely for her to leave them on the counter.

As his conversation progressed, his tone quickly deflated as he seemed to be put out over what Ariel could only make out as some friend that had fallen ill.

The Doctor walked back inside and Ariel blinked in surprise as she spotted a strange blonde woman trailing closely behind. She craned her neck to glance at the picture on the fridge and smiled as she knew there was something familiar about the face. She was Sophie, the woman Craig fancied but adamantly denied having such feelings for.

The Doctor walked up behind Ariel and wrapped his arms around her waist. He snatched a fork off the counter and when Ariel held up his plate of pancakes for him he gladly took a bite. She giggled softly as he moaned at the delightful taste and hugged her even tighter. 

He took the plate from her hands and she spun out of his grasp to grab a drink from the fridge while he walked around eating the pancakes.

“No, Dom's in Malta. There's nobody around,” Craig sighed, running his fingers through his hair in apparent frustration. His eyes widened as they fell on the Doctor and he walked up to the man, grabbing his wrist and stopping him in his tracks as he went to grab a sip of Ariel’s milk “Hang on a sec. We've got a match today, pub league. We're one down if you fancy it?” He proposed.

Ariel raised her brows. She knew the Doctor should play football to pass by on the proper persona of “human” but seeing him play the sport for the first time promised entertainment. 

Then again, he could be a pro, Ariel decided. There were still many things the Doctor was skilled at that managed to astound her. After all, in nine hundred years you can get a lot done. 

“Pub league,” the Doctor murmured, furrowing his brows confusedly. “A drinking competition?” He guessed.

“No, football,” Craig corrected with a shake of his head. “Play football.”

“Football. Football,” the Doctor muttered thoughtfully as though mentally scanning over his list of things that would make him human. “Yes, blokes play football. I'm good at football, I think,” he said, adding that last bit as more of a hopeful afterthought but either Craig didn’t notice or didn’t care because he was already back on the phone with his mates before the Doctor could finish his thought.

“You've saved my life,” Craig sighed to the Doctor. “I've got somebody. Yeah, alright, I'll see you down there, he confirmed with a nod before hanging up his phone and placing it down to grab his pancake. “Hey, Soph,” he greeted the woman standing by the door wary of coming in with two complete strangers waltzing around.

“Hey, I thought I'd come early and meet your new flat mates,” Sophie smiled curiously at the couple as the Doctor feigned whispering something in Ariel’s ear just to swipe her nose with leftover pancake batter.

Ariel barked out a laugh and spun around, her eyes falling on Sophie with a sigh. 

“Ah, hello,” Ariel said. “I’m Ariel,” she introduced, but stuck to waving as a fair amount of batter had gotten onto her hands. “Craig’s told us a lot about you,” she said, nodding to the man already on the sofa his pancake. “Would you like some breakfast?” She offered. “I have leftover batter. I can make you some.”

“No, I’m good, thanks,” Sophie smiled. 

“Do you play, Sophie?” The Doctor asked, raising an eyebrow at the woman as he washed the batter off his hands.

“No, Soph just stands on the sidelines,” Craig shook his head. “She's my mascot,” he smiled in pride and each of the three other individual’s faces fell as they realized the gravity of what Craig had said while he remained blissfully unaware.

“I’m your mascot?” Sophie asked, frowning and Ariel winced. “Mascot?” She scoffed.

Craig stood up with his plate of pancakes and his face seemed to freeze as what he had just said began to sink in. “Well, yeah, not my mascot,” he muttered awkwardly. “It's a football match. I can't take a date,” hs sighed.

“Eesh,” Ariel winced, grabbing his plate and placing it in the sink. “Were we ever that bad?” She wondered, her voice barely above a whisper when she spoke to him.

“Blimey, I hope not,” the Doctor mumbled, raising his brows at the pair stuck in relationship limbo. A bit more than friends, but not dating quite yet so neither of them were sure what to address the other as.

“I didn’t say I was your date,” Sophie said, shrugging disconcertedly.

“Neither did I,” Craig said quickly, careful not to let on the fact that he had deeper feelings if she didn’t plan on doing so.

Ariel and the Doctor glanced between each other and the awkward pair, unsure of what to add in the tense moment.

“Better get dressed,” the Doctor hummed, desperate to ease the tension. He finished off his pancakes and placed them in the sink. He grabbed Ariel’s hand and headed back to the room. 

“The spare kit’s just in the bottom drawer,” Craig called after them. He made as though he planned to head in and show them but the Doctor blocked his view of the room while Ariel fell back on the bed with a loud sigh.

“Bit of a mess,” the Doctor said evasively.

“I know where it is!” Ariel called to Craig, assuring him that he needn’t come in and show them himself.

Craig nodded and stepped back allowing the Doctor to close the door. He kept it shut for a moment, pausing as he realized something more he was curious about. He swung it open once again just in time to hear Sophie say:

“You didn’t say he was gorgeous.”

Ariel wrinkled her nose in what was fit to be another onset of jealousy until Craig beat her to it.

“He has a girlfriend,” Craig replied, sounding put out as he spoke.

Ariel smiled, pleased with the same response she would have reminded Sophie of had she been out there with the blonde.

“Ariel, right?” Sophie assumed. “She’s very pretty,” she remarked, sounding more than a little forlorn.

The Doctor paid no mind to their conversation, this time too focused on Sophie’s keys to care as he interrupted them to question the presence of two sets of keys.

“You unlocked the door,” the Doctor observed. “How did you do that? Those are your keys,” he said, nodding to the set of bright pink fluffy. “You must have left them last time you came here.”

“Yeah, but I,” she began, but paused, frowning at her original set of keys. “How do you know these are my keys?” She wondered.

Ariel decided her curiosity was getting the better of her and before the Doctor got to respond, she poked her head out through the crack in the door underneath his and raised her brows at Craig and Sophie, smiling intently at them.

“I’ve been holding them,” Craig admitted, cringing as he spoke and looking as though he’d be delighted if the floor could open up beneath his feet and swallow him whole.

“I’ve got another set,” Sophie shrugged, holding up the spare set of keys in her hands so the Doctor and Ariel could see.

They exchanged a knowing grin at the sight.

“You've got two sets of keys to someone else's house?” The Doctor asked, though he knew what that meant.

The Doctor gave Ariel a set of keys to the Tardis to keep on her person and another left in her room “for safekeeping”, or so he claimed. 

“Yeah?” Sophie replied a bit sheepishly, raising a curious brow at the pair.

“I see,” the Doctor hummed. Ariel suppressed a smile as he added, a bit more meaningfully, “you must like it here too.”

They leaned back into the room and closed the door and while Ariel plopped back onto the bed, the Doctor tore off his towel and scowered the drawers for the spare clothes Craig had mentioned.

He only paused when he spotted Ariel watching him with a large grin.

“Oh, don’t tell  me you want me to turn away,” Ariel moaned, catching the anxiety in his gaze.

“Well,” the Doctor began and she rolled her eyes.

“I’ve seen it already dozens of times. There’s nothing to be ashamed of,” she shrugged. “It’s not like I’m some ordinary companion seeing this for the first time.”

“Oh, you are far from ordinary, Ariel Parsons,” the Doctor hummed, walking to her and towering over her as she sat on the bed. He brushed a few stray hairs out of her face and Ariel beamed up at him. “But this is different,” he sighed, shaking his head and turning away.

“How is it different?” She wondered.

“We’re not,” he began and shook his head. “You’re not-I mean, we don’t-,” he tried, gesturing between the pair of them vaguely and hoping she caught his drift.

She did.

He didn’t feel comfortable just stripping down before her when it wasn’t in the middle of them having sex. In fact, thinking about it the only times she had seen him naked was during sex or when they were facing the Atraxi and he had been too hurried to care.

“Well, it doesn’t have to be different,” Ariel promised, walking up and placing her palm on his bare chest.

He grinned quickly and closed the distance between their lips, kissing her roughly, more desperation than tenderness in his kiss. Nevertheless, she kissed him back enthusiastically, winding her fingers in his hair and pulling him close.

His tongue swept between her lips to stroke hers surely, tasting, touching, licking at hers as though he couldn’t get enough of her and Ariel knew there would never be another man for her.

She kissed him back hungrily, laying claim to his lips and his tongue, wanting to keep him for herself for the rest of time. Though, as much as she adored kissing him, she knew she’d have to dial it back. Whenever she was wrapped in his arms a funny haze poured over her mind and she managed to forget where she was or even who she was, but Craig’s voice from the sitting room pulled her back into reality. 

She couldn’t be with him right then. He had a game to go to and as much as she wanted to spend all day in that room with him, she knew they had to focus on the task at hand. She had started the kiss, but unfortunately she had to be the one to break it.

Pulling away slowly, Ariel moaned when he followed her, not wanting to release her. She pulled back from him and before he could steal another kiss, she placed a single finger on his lips.

“You’re not doing either of us any favors seeing as you have a game to get to,” Ariel reminded him with a small smirk and the Doctor groaned, evidently frustrated by the very reminded that he couldn’t just stay with her all day long. 

He kissed her nose and she giggled as he began to get dressed again. She grabbed his shirt and held it up for him as he pulled on his blue shorts. He took the shirt, placing another soft kiss on her lips before turning to the mirror in the room to comb through her hair. 

“Y’know, it’s a good thing we’re going out,” the Doctor remarked. “If I hang about the house all the time, him upstairs might get suspicious and notice me.”

“And how distinctly non-human you are,” Ariel agreed with a laugh. She got up and fixed his hair, combing through it for him as he watched her with pure adoration swarming his green eyes. He loved every inch of the woman before him and he sincerely wanted to spend every last moment he could with her. If it were possible, he’d stay with her until the face he bore was old and grey.

“I think I’ve been doing pretty good,” the Doctor protested her words with a small frown.

“Even if you were the whole electric toothbrush incident told him how entirely abnormal you are,” she giggled, brushing his hair slightly before tossing the brush onto the counter while he grabbed his shoes.

“I can do normal,” he insisted, a small pout at the idea that she thought it impossible.

“Your shirt’s on backwards,” Ariel sighed, falling back onto the bed as she gestured to his shirt where the large number ‘11’ was stamped across his chest. “The number’s supposed to be on the back.”

He quickly shifted his shirt so that it was on the right way and rolled his eyes. “Alright, I’m trying,” he moaned. “Give me some credit,” he complained.

“I don’t want to,” Ariel shook her head, standing up to watch him as he moved about the room. “I keep saying, normal is boring. I like you just the way you are.”

She gave him a cheeky smile and he slowly started to grin. His eyes were soft as he beamed at her and leant down to kiss her.

“Have I told you I love you?” He asked and her heart did a somersault. No matter how many times he said it, those words would always make her heart soar.

“You might have mentioned it once or twice,” Ariel giggled, shrugging slightly as she grinned up at him. 

He smiled and pressed his forehead against hers. “I love you,” he told her softly and Ariel couldn’t fight the butterflies that still came after so long being by his side.

“I love you too,” she murmured and the Doctor pressed another quick kiss on her lips.

“Now,” he said, pulling away and sighing softly as turned to look at himself in the mirror and pop up his collar. “Football’s the one with the sticks, isn’t it?”

Ariel laughed and shook her head at him. “Ah, this should definitely be interesting,” she hummed. “Not exactly, but I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it,” she assured him with a not so confident shrug.

~~~

The four of them walked down to the nearby park with the Doctor carrying the football, occasionally tossing it to Ariel with a delighted giggle from the brunette.

“What are you actually called? What's your proper name?” Craig  asked curiously and the Doctor frowned, uncertain of how to respond after he had already given Craig his proper name.

“Just call me the Doctor,” the Doctor answered with a nod.

“Yeah,” Sophie chimed in, unsure of the concern with the man’s name.

“I can't go up to these guys and say hey, this is my new flat mate, ‘he's called the Doctor’,” Craig moaned.

“Why not?” The Doctor wondered with a small frown.

“Because it’s weird,” Craig insisted.

“Not that weird,” Ariel mumbled, shrugging as she kicked the football round a few feet ahead of her.

“Seriously, what’s his name?” Craig asked, considering the Doctor a lost cause and turning to Ariel.

“The Doctor,” Ariel shrugged.

“What, people just call you ‘the Doctor’ all the time?” Craig asked, a sharp tone of skepticism apparent.

“Yes,” Ariel nodded, uncertain of what else she could offer the man. “Is there something wrong with that?”

Just as Craig was about to concede with a sigh, they reached the pitch and one of the men was already walking up to greet them.

“Alright, Craig. Soph,” he smiled warmly and Craig called back a quick greeting as he marched on to say hello to the rest of the team. “Alright, mate, miss,” he nodded.

“Hello, we’re Craig's new flatmates. I'm called the Doctor,” the Doctor introduced himself and Ariel chuckled and rolled her eyes as she watched him do the air kisses once again.

The man seemed thoroughly taken aback by the gesture and frowned at the Doctor while Craig glanced back and winced at the action.

Ariel immediately rushed forward and shook the man’s hand kindly. “Hi, sorry, I’m Ariel,” she said. “Don’t mind my boyfriend, he’s from France,” she shrugged.

“Ah, alright, Doctor, Ariel,” the man nodded. “I’m Sean,” he introduced.

Ariel smiled at the man before taking a step back to stand beside Sophie while Sean, Craig and the Doctor all worked out the logistics of the game.

“Is he really from France?” Sophie asked, her voice a whisper when she spoke to the brunette.

“No,” Ariel shook her head, smirking slightly at the Doctor. “I just tell people that so they don’t think he’s entirely odd. If I can keep it in the range of just a bit strange I’ve done my job.”

Sophie simply laughed and they turned their attention back to the men.

“So, where are you strongest?” Sean asked.

“Arms,” the Doctor replied quickly and Ariel snorted.

He wasn’t so good at the lingo but if Ariel knew anything from her experience with the Doctor, it was that if she came to expect him to be terrible he would blow her away each and every time.

Sean gave the Doctor a funny look as Craig rushed to explain.

“No, he means what position on the field,” Craig informed him.

“Not sure,” he shrugged. “The front? The side? Below,” he guessed and Ariel’s eyes went wide the moment he said below.

“Are you any good though?” Sean asked, uncaring of his ignorance so long as the man was a good player.

“Let’s find out,” the Doctor smirked and Ariel grinned as he shed his coat and handed it to her. He placed a quick kiss on her lips.

Ariel cupped his cheek and smiled at him. “You’ll be brilliant,” she assured him with a nod.

The Doctor grinned and kissed her once again before rushing out onto the field.

Sophie took Craig’s coat and the two women went out to the sidelines with a crowd of spectators to watch the game. 

As Ariel expected, the Doctor surprised her by how quickly he took to the game using his natural agility as he nimbly dodged the other players and scored goals. 

“I honestly figured he wouldn’t be too awful, but he’s-,” Ariel began.

“Not bad,” Sophie agreed with a nod, clapping for the team and grinning at the Doctor as he started to near the goal.

“Yes, Doctor!” Ariel cried, pumping her first in the air as she cheered the Doctor on. “Go!”

Sophie quickly joined her cheers, shouting in joy as the Doctor scored a goal.

He continued scoring goals throughout the game and though it was apparent he had no clue about a single rule in football, he still seemed to be having a delightful time as his teammates and the spectators all cheered him on and it seemed impossible for him to miss a single goal.

Craig passed the ball to the Doctor and he passed it back. Craig returned the ball to the Doctor and rather than passing it, he just ran off, not understanding what Craig meant when he called, “one, two! One, two!”.

“Whoo, go Doctor!” Ariel cried, grinning as he bolted up to the goal once again.

“Go on, Doctor! Go on, Doctor!” Sophie cheered.

Both girls screamed in joy once he scored another goal. He whooped excitedly and Ariel laughed, clapping for him in a happy daze. 

“Doctor! Doctor!” Sophie cheered. 

The Doctor turned to them with large eyes, overwhelmed with joy as his teammates cheered triumphantly around him. Ariel beamed at him, clapping, and shaking her head still overwhelmed at how he just managed to take her by surprise every time. Whenever she thought she knew him he always knocked her beliefs off their axis, not that she’d ever complain. She’d always prefer someone who could keep presenting her with new and beautiful facts about themselves that she could have never guessed. It was so much more fun to keep learning more and more about someone you already adore rather to grow adjusted and soon tired of the same presence day after day.

“You’re brilliant, you’re amazing,” Sophie said, giving him a big thumbs up and all Ariel could do was nod in agreement.

The game continued and Ariel continued to watch with amusement as the Doctor navigated his way around the field lithely scoring at an incredible rate. She guessed he was more than capable of running around that field for ages considering all the running they did in their normal adventures. It was actually quite funny for her to consider that this ordinary game that was capable of tiring ordinary people out was likely just a cool exercise for the Doctor.

Eventually, in the game Craig’s team received a penalty chance. Both Ariel and Sophie cheered loudly with the crowd as Craig stood up to take the kick.

“Come on, Craig. Show them what you've got!” Sophie called.

“You’ve got this Craig!” Ariel yelled.

However, just before he could take the kick, the Doctor swerved in and kicked the ball scoring once again while the team rejoiced. 

Ariel giggled, noticing that he truly did not know what he was doing and just kicked the ball into the goal whenever he could. It was amusing to watch as the nine hundred year old alien ran around the field with adult men aimlessly hunting for the football and kicking it into the goal every chance he got.

Ariel glanced back and her smile fell as she spotted Craig’s annoyed and a bit peeved off face as he watched the Doctor soak up all the praise his team was granting him. 

“Oh, Craig seems upset,” Ariel mumbled. “He really should have gotten the chance. I guess the Doctor just gets a bit excitable,” she chuckled, smiling as he looked over, watching her as he head-butted the ball into the goal.

“Oh, it’s fine,” Sophie assured her with a soft sigh as she looped her arm through Ariel’s. “Besides, look at him,” she said nodding to the Doctor. “He looks so happy, especially when he sees you watching him.”

Ariel giggled as she looked up and spotted the Doctor watching her from across the field. She smiled and waved to him and he waved back happily like a small child, making her heart swell. 

He continued scoring until the game ended and left an overwhelming win for Craig’s team thanks to the Doctor. 

Once it was all said and done, the team gathered by a bench at the very edge of the park and the girls went to join them. They each grabbed some water bottles from a cooler by the bench. Everyone was still elated, minus Craig who looked a bit put out at the Doctor scoring the win for them.

Ariel walked up to the Doctor and grinned as he wrapped an arm around her and she kissed him softly. 

“You did brilliantly,” Ariel hummed. 

“Why, thank you,” the Doctor smiled, pulling her close. He was sweaty, but Ariel hardly minded. She just passed him a water bottle and turned to Sean as he ran up to them with a large grin plastered across his face.

“You are so on the team,” Sean sighed. “Next week we've got the Crown and Anchor. We're going to annihilate them,” he promised with a grin. 

The Doctor sucked in a sharp breath and Ariel tried to pull him back, seeing where this was headed but she failed and moaned as the Doctor started on his rant.

“Annihilate? No,” the Doctor said seriously, looming over Sean and glaring at the man. “No violence, do you understand me? Not while I'm around. Not today, not ever. I'm the Doctor, the Oncoming Storm,” he said, but paused when he glanced back at Ariel furiously shaking her head and signing for him to please  _ stop. _

“And you basically meant beat them in a football match, didn't you?” The Doctor winced, realizing his error immediately.

“Yeah,” Sean replied flatly and Ariel smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand.

“Lovely,” the Doctor smiled, adopting his chipper tone once again as he straightened. “What sort of time?” He asked.

“Oh, Doctor,” Ariel sighed, smiling softly and shaking her head at him. “There comes a time when you just have to admit you’re not normal,” she shrugged.

“Oh, it was just a bit of a mishap,” the Doctor dismissed with a wave of his hand. “Other than that I think I’m performing fabulously.”

“I’ll admit you have been doing better than I thought,” Ariel conceded with a nod.

“See?” The Doctor grinned. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead and she beamed up at him.

Just then, Craig opened a can of drink and got sprayed with the foam. Everyone laughed and Ariel smiled at the scene, until it started repeating again and again.

The Doctor frowned as the scene fell on a time loop. He grabbed Ariel’s arm and tore her away from them before she started to grow affected and he pressed his finger to his Bluetooth. He shielded Ariel from the scene, keeping her in front of him so she wouldn’t focus on the loop and risk falling into the trance. 

“Amy?” He called. “Amy?”

“It’s happening again,” Amy sighed. “Worse.”

“What does the scanner say?” The Doctor asked as Ariel spun around and watching the repetitive scene with large eyes. The Doctor caught her watching Craig and the others and pulled her away, silently shaking his head at her.

“A lot of nines. Is it good that they're nines? Tell me it's good that they're all nines,” Amy practically pleaded.

“Yes, yes, it's, it's good,” he hesitated and met Ariel’s eyes that said it was extremely  _ not  _ good. “Zigzag plotter. Zigzag plotter, Amy,” he instructed, desperation creeping into his tone.

There was silence and then a sharp scream into the earpiece.

“Amy?” The Doctor gasped, his eyes wide, gripped by fear as he glanced down at Ariel who only mirrored his concern back at him. “Are you there? Amy?”

“Doctor?” Ariel asked panicked. “What’s happening? Is she alright?

“Yes. Hello,” Amy sighed.

Ariel nearly collapsed with relief when the Doctor held her shoulder and nodded while responding to Amy. “Oh, thank heavens,” he smiled. “I thought for a moment the Tardis had been flung off into the vortex with you inside it, lost forever.”

“Doctor!” Ariel hissed, whacking his arm chidingly. He seemed to realize what he said and what effect that may have on Amy, but it was too late, Ariel could hear Amy’s accusation as though the redhead were standing right beside her as she demanded to know what could happen to her.

From the Doctor’s wince as he listen to Amy plead with him to get her out of there, she knew the woman was not at all pleased being trapped alone inside the Tardis.

“How are the numbers?” The Doctor asked, shaking his head, desperate to change the subject from Amy’s fear.

“All fives,” Amy sighed.

“Fives?” The Doctor prompted and as he turned to glance back at the group Ariel did the same and found they had all resumed normality. She smiled softly at the sight.

“Even better,” the Doctor hummed.

Ariel grinned as she spotted Sophie teasing Craig lightly. She enjoyed watching the normality of their relationship. She knew she would never want something so simple herself but it was nice to see an ordinary pair who only had to worry about their jobs and family issues and whether or not they could huck up the courage to tell the other they loved them. 

Seeing relationships like that was always nice to Ariel, but she knew she would never want it herself. She’s had samples of it from her first two boyfriends, but comparing those experiences to what she had with the Doctor she’d much rather have mystery and wonder and beauty even if the monsters, chaos and life-threatening situations came along with him.

“I means the effect's almost unbelievably powerful and dangerous, but don't worry,” the Doctor assured Amy. “Hang on, okay. I’ve got some rewiring to do,” he smiled and Ariel groaned as he clicked off his device.

“Did you really just tell her to hang on when she’s stuck in a time travelling spaceship that at any moment could drop her off into the Time Vortex, and she now knows this?” Ariel prompted and the Doctor winced. If he was going to console her when she was facing something like that he would need to do just a bit better.

“Maybe, not my best advice,” he shrugged.

“Maybe not,” Ariel giggled. 

The Doctor sighed softly and draped his arm over her shoulders. “Come on, we’ve got work to do.”

“Just so I’m aware, will I be able to contribute in any way to this ‘work’?” She asked, fully aware of how technologically inept she was. 

She was able to do the basics and understood her way around the library computers she used to work with but beyond that she was entirely useless and she was okay with that. She knew that unless someone was willing to spend the extra time devoted to explaining what she should do, there really wasn’t a point.

“Probably not,” the Doctor chuckled. “But it’ll be nice to have you there.”

“Aw,” she smiled and leant up to kiss him sweetly. 

~~~

Later that afternoon, Ariel sat on the floor watching as the Doctor was just about finished putting everything together. She frowned at the device, sipping her drink as she stared at all the miscellaneous parts tied together.

“What is it?” She wondered.

“A scanner,” the Doctor sighed. “Since I can’t use my sonic this is our next best bet. I can work out what he’s using up there and thus try and figure out the source of these time loops.”

“It looks a bit like one of those art pieces that’s in a museum that you don’t really think should be there because it seems like a bunch of pieces of rubbish strung together and yet-,” Ariel said. 

“It’s art!” The Doctor exclaimed, beaming like a proud parent at the device.

“It’s art,” Ariel agreed with a chuckle.

He picked up a traffic cone but before he could place it on the device there was a knock at the door. Without stopping to put the traffic cone back down, he just opened the door and Ariel giggled softly at what must run through his head when his flat mate opens the door carrying a traffic cone for some unknown reason.

“Hello, flatmate,” the Doctor greeted.

“Hey, man. Er, listen,” Craig said sheepishly and Ariel raised an eyebrow. She decided she’d rather like to listen to whatever Craig had to say and so she placed her drink on the floor, she got up and ducked her head through the crack in the door underneath the traffic cone to grin curiously at the man. “Er, Sophie's coming round tonight and I was wondering if you two could give us some space?” He hoped and Ariel nodded, understanding this night was important for Craig.

“Don’t mind us,” the Doctor shrugged. “You won’t even know we’re here,” he assured him.

As if to emphasize his words there was a loud bang from upstairs once again.

“That’s the idea,” the Doctor hummed, seeming to turn his addressment towards the man upstairs rather that Craig with the added on thought.

With a deep breath, the Doctor pulled Ariel from the door and allowed it to slam close as she laughed and he placed the traffic cone delicately on his device. Once he stepped aside to view the finished product he grinned.

“Oh, you are perfect,” he moaned and Ariel giggled delightfully. 

Of course, neither of them could see Craig as he stood outside the door, his face twisted.  From his point of view, there was only one reason the Doctor could state something like that in the manner he had done. He shook his head and wandered back down the hall. He had never wanted a couple to live with, but in their own defense they were quiet most of the time save for this one day. 

_ ‘Although _ ’, he stopped walking and thought with a small frown confusedly.  _ ‘Why would the Doctor be holding a traffic cone then?’ _

He thought about it and shuddered.  _ ‘Actually, I don’t think I want to know.’ _

~~~

Night struck, and the Doctor’s test runs ended very badly each and every time he did it. Without his sonic to work on the device, he was finding to have a lot of rewiring and he sighed as he kicked the machine and Ariel got a puff of smoke blown straight into her face.

“Oh, sorry,” the Doctor winced. “I need to rewire the electrics, I need-,” he paused and his eyes grew wide. 

Ariel immediately knew what he was thinking and she popped up, shaking her head before he could finish his thought. “No, no, Doctor. We said he would give him his space. They fancy each other. It’s adorable,” she smiled softly. 

“Well, what am I supposed to do?!” The Doctor cried. “I need to rewire electrics out there in order to get this thing functioning properly and if I can’t do that we may never know what he’s working on!” He moaned.

Ariel sighed softly and glanced at the door. She didn’t hear voices so there was every possibility that Sophie had stopped by and they’d gone off to get pizza or something. 

“Alright,” Ariel nodded. “Go, but if they’re still out there you have to promise me you won’t interrupt. You don’t like it when our dates are interrupted,” she reminded him.

“I know,” the Doctor sighed, his frustration at the very memories creeping through. “I’ll be quiet,” he promised. “They won’t even know I’m there.”

He walked out and Ariel smiled after him, crawled back onto the floor and sighed softly. She knew the Doctor was set to disturb their date any time soon but if she went out there after him it would just get so much worse, and so she decided to go to sleep and claim ignorance if Craig questioned her. She curled up on the mattress that was now on the floor and drifted off to sleep.

The Doctor’s contraption was made up of; laundry lines, a lamp, two chairs, a bicycle wheel and pedals, a rake, a broom, an oar, an umbrella, and a traffic cone sitting at the top inside the upside down umbrella. He had decided the large device to place it on their bed frame, tossing the mattress of the bed onto the ground hence Ariel’s position on the ground. She had originally been put out, but that barely lasted ten minutes as she realized the shift wasn’t that big of a concern and so long as she had a place to sleep and the Doctor was happy.

She slept peacefully on the mattress on the floor until the Doctor returned just after midnight. She blinked sleepily as she watched him wrap the final wires onto the top part of his contraption.

“Right. Shield’s up,” the Doctor announced triumphantly with a clap of his hands. “Let’s scan.”

Ariel groaned softly and rubbed her eyes as she sat up while he swung the contraption with a dazed grin.

“How long has it been?” Ariel wondered, glancing around for the clock. “Did you interrupt their date?”

The Doctor nodded quickly, hoping she wouldn’t catch it as he turned back to the device. “Did you sleep well, love?” He asked, smiling softly and trying to distract her.

“Oh, Doctor, did you stay and talk to them?” Ariel groaned. “Craig asked you to give him space,” she reminded him. “I was already wary about going out in the first place.”

“He invited me to stay for drinks,” the Doctor insisted, unsure of what to tell the brunette. “By the way, wine is disgusting,” he winced as though he could still taste it on his tongue. 

“Doctor, you hate alcohol,” Ariel reminded him with a sigh, smiling softly as though he were a large child she had to care for.

“I know,” the Doctor nodded. “Never let me touch that again.”

“Duly noted,” Ariel chuckled as she crawled out of the bed. Her smile began to fall as she realized the gravity of what the Doctor was saying “Hold on, did you say you stayed for drinks with Sophie?”

The Doctor nodded. “Did you know she wants to travel?” He smiled. “Apparently wants to work with animals, not at the call centre and definitely not in this town her whole life, though she can’t figure out what’s keeping her here. Hasn’t figured out her feelings yet,” he smirked.

Ariel groaned and flopped back onto the mattress. The Doctor knew he had done a bit of damage. She could see it in his eyes, but there was no way to go back and fix it now. Silently, she vowed if she ever sent the Doctor out on his own when they were supposed to be keeping quiet she would most certainly go with him.

The Doctor stepped back from his machine and flicked on his Bluetooth. “You there, Pond?” He prompted.

“What are you getting?” Amy asked and the couple narrowed their eyes at the readings on the scanner.

“Upstairs,” the Doctor mumbled. “No traces of alien technology. Totally normal,” he murmured with a small frown and Ariel mirrored his expression. There was no way that was accurate. “No, no, no, no, no, it can't be,” he shook his head, agreeing with Ariel’s silent thoughts. “It's too normal.”

“There’s gotta be something else going on here,” Ariel agreed. 

“Only for you could too normal be a problem,” Amy scoffed. “You said I could be lost forever. Just go upstairs,” she said.

“Without knowing and get myself killed?” He replied with a small frown. “Then you really are lost,” he sighed. Ariel’s eyes grew large and she swatted at the Doctor’s shoulder, shooting him a strong warning look. She and the redhead were both already scared. It was not a good time to be accidentally rude. He sent her an apologetic gaze and leant back with a soft sigh. “If I could just get a look in there,” he murmured.

“Well, can’t we just get some sort of camera or maybe have a look at the blueprints?” Ariel offered with a shrug. “It’s not first person, but-.”

“Hold on. Yes!” He exclaimed, turning to Ariel with a large grin. “Use the data bank. Get me the plans of this building. I want to know its history, the layout, everything,” he instructed Amy. “I love you so much,” he said to Ariel, cupping her cheeks and kissing her soundly.

He pulled away and pressed his finger to his earpiece, including Amy on their plans and Ariel burned bright pink as she stared after him. Every kiss no matter how small from the Doctor had the power to set her insides ablaze and leave her giggling as though it was their first kiss ever.

“Meanwhile, I shall recruit a spy,” the Doctor sighed before clicking off his Bluetooth and turning back to Ariel with a warm smile.

“I’m going to spy?” Ariel asked in surprise. She wouldn’t object to going upstairs and spying on the man, she just didn’t know it would be necessary so quickly.

However, the Doctor snorted at the very idea. “Not likely, love,” he scoffed. “I’m not risking you getting hurt.”

“Then who?” Ariel wondered and the Doctor beamed. She immediately shook her head. “No, no, we’re not going to force Craig to go up there.”

“I wasn’t thinking of forcing him!” The Doctor exclaimed. “Just asking him to go up and talk to the bloke about the noise.”

“Even still,” Ariel sighed. “What if he gets hurt?”

“He didn’t get hurt the first time he went up there,” the Doctor reasoned and both their eyes grew wide as they realized what that meant.

“Why wouldn’t he hurt Craig?” Ariel mumbled and the Doctor nodded in agreement. 

Together they stayed up well into the night, though they only tried to work out the mystery behind Craig for a piece of it. Eventually, they gave it up, deciding they would need far more information before they tried to figure it out. The rest of the night they sat up talking about anything and everything.

Ariel had come to truly love nights like those where she and the Doctor sat up talking about whatever was on their mind. It was moments like those when all their worries felt like faded memories and all that mattered was their time together.

The Doctor enjoyed learning all the little secrets curled up in the mind of the person he loved most in the universe. He loved every little bit of information she told him no matter how ridiculous it sounded and he wanted more than anything to be able to spend the rest of his nights just sitting up with her learning about all the odd little thoughts that cross her mind at the latest hours of the night. 

Every bit of information she shared with him was like a present he got to unwrap on Christmas Day. 

She loved learning what inched through his mind just as much. Though his thoughts were far more wondrous than hers what with all he had seen, that just made them far more interesting. She found no matter the length of time she spent with him she never stopped finding herself in awe of the man who somehow loved her just as much as she loved him.


	22. Kiss the Girl

The next morning, Ariel stepped out of the shower and the Doctor marched past her with a large grin and a plate full of food.

“Going to recruit Craig?” She guessed with a soft giggle. 

“You bet,” the Doctor smiled. He knocked on the door as she headed into the kitchen to see what food he had left for her to snack on. “Craig?” He called. 

Ariel stepped out with a piece of toast between her teeth and her mobile in her hands as she messaged Jack. She raised an eyebrow at the Doctor’s strategy of getting on the man’s good side and he simply shrugged. 

“Breakfast,” he said. “It’s normal,” he assured her.

Ariel chuckled and sighed softly, biting into the toast and heading into their room to change.

“Craig?” The Doctor called, his voice growing worried. Ariel, on the other hand, felt no concern as she pulled her hair up and began to toy with the coat hangers on the contraption. Craig was likely asleep and just had not heard the Doctor, so when she heard the Doctor open his door to stem inside she wasn’t worried.

The was, until she heard the Doctor drop the tray of food down and cry out her name.

“Ariel!” He yelled.

Without a moment of pause, Ariel raced from their room into Craig’s and her heart stopped when she spotted the man barely conscious on the bed sweating bullets.

“Oh. God!” Ariel cried. “Did he-?”

“He touched the rot,” the Doctor confirmed with a nod. He hit Craig’s chest once again. “Come on, Craig, breathe. Thems are healthy footballer's lungs,” he insisted.

He urged Ariel to his side and waved down to Craig. “Keep him breathing,” he instructed.

She nodded, not bothering to ask where he was going as he grabbed the teapot he had on the tray of food and bolted out of the room. She kept a steady rhythm hitting his chest and her eyes widened when she spotted the thin green line on the inside of his right arm. 

If that was what happened after touching the rot she was more than grateful she had followed the Doctor’s advice and not allowed curiosity to take over at any point.

Craig wheezed and Ariel helped him sit up just a bit as he tried to catch his breath. “Craig, it’s alright,” she assured him. “You’re alright. Just keep breathing,” she instructed.

The Doctor ran in with the teapot and she immediately moved to the side, allowing him to work as he placed the spout of the teapot on Craig’s lips, pouring it in slowly.

Ariel frowned at him as she watched. “How’s tea supposed to help poison?” She wondered.

“It reverses the enzyme decay and excites the tannin molecules,” he explained.

“Blimey, didn’t know tea was such a miracle worker,” Ariel giggled and the Doctor chuckled and nodded.

Craig sat up, coughing and narrowing his blurred vision at the pair. “I’ve got to get to work,” he croaked out.

The Doctor placed his hand on the man’s forehead, gently moving him backward into his bed as he shook his head at him. “On no account. You need rest,” the Doctor said gently. “One more,” he added as he poured the tea back into his mouth once again.

Craig looked as though he wanted to argue, but obliged and took one more sip of the tea before trying once again. “It’s the planning meeting. It’s important.”

“You’re important,” the Doctor replied coolly.

Craig’s eyes began to weigh heavy and his head lolled back as he slowly drifted back off to sleep. The Doctor smiled and patted his forehead softly. “You’re going to be fine, Craig,” he assured the man.

He began to get comfortable in his bed as he fell into a deep sleep and the Doctor pulled the tray of food and the teapot away so Craig would have room to move around in his bed. 

The Doctor walked up to Ariel with a soft sigh and was sure to pull her just outside the room before speaking so he didn’t disturb Craig. 

“Can you stay and look after him?” He requested.

“‘Course,” Ariel shrugged. “But what are you going to do?” She wondered.

“Well, now that Craig is ill we’ll need a new spy,” the Doctor sighed. “But before we worry about that, I figure we should do something nice for him.”

“You just wanna see what it’s like to work in an office, don’t you?” Ariel laughed.

“Maybe,” the Doctor smiled. He kissed her lightly and before he left, he called over his shoulder, “honey, I’m going to work!” 

She laughed at him and he paused in the doorway, positively beaming at her. “I’ve always wanted to say that,” he said and Ariel shook her head in amusement.

He walked out and she sighed softly as she heard the front door creak open and close. She turned to Craig and glanced at him with concern etched across her face. She sincerely hoped his condition didn’t deteriorate before the Doctor got back, because if it did she would have no idea what to do.

She stayed with Craig all day, barely leaving his side but occasionally offering him more of the tea the Doctor brewed up, careful to use it sparingly so she wouldn’t run out before he got back. She also offered him food but made sure to feed him nothing that weighed too heavy on his stomach for fear of the poison in his system possibly making him vomit.

Eventually, she resigned to a chair in the corner of the man’s room, pulling out one of the books he owned and reading silently.

Sometime in the afternoon, he stirred and Ariel looked up with large eyes as she heard him groaning awake. He laid his tired eyes on her and she flashed a kind smile.

“Morning, sleepy head,” she greeted. 

His complexion appeared much better as he grinned at her. He had much more color and life in his body it seemed. He rolled over with a sigh and his face froze when he spotted the time. 

“Craig?” She prompted.

“What?” He gasped, his eyes fixated on the clock which read: 14:45. 

“Craig, don’t freak out,” she instructed, but he was already way past that. He scrambled out of bed and began getting dressed with no care or concern for her presence in the room.

“Craig?!” She shrieked, turning away immediately with large eyes and a face burning bright red. “Stop and think for a second!” She insisted.

“I have to get to work!” He cried. He dashed out of the room and Ariel watched him with large eyes.

The brunette put her book back on the chair and ran out after him.

“You have to stay in bed!” She yelled, but he hardly listened. “Craig, please!” She begged, but before she could even get the chance to tell him that the Doctor was filling in, she heard the front door slam and groaned.

He was already gone. 

“Well, what the hell am I supposed to do now?” She moaned. She glanced aimlessly around the house and sighed softly.

If neither of them were going to be back for hours and she had nothing to do in the house, she might as well go out. After all, she never really had gotten the chance to just walk around the city aimlessly wandering in whatever shop filled her fancy since she began traveling with the Doctor. She used to do that all the time when living with her Mum. 

Then again, it was likely because her Mum would have people over and if the library was closed she’d have no choice but to walk through the city streets for as long as she may like. She had always felt it to be a nice way to pass the time and wash away any concerns she might harbor.

Her decision made, she headed back into her room and grabbed a couple quid in case she got hungry and her mobile. 

With that, she headed out happily to see the town.

~~~

Ariel returned to the flat, happily surprised to see Sophie returning as well.

“Ah, hello,” Ariel greeted as they both headed up to the front door.

“Hi,” Sophie smiled. “How are you?” 

“Not so bad,” Ariel shrugged. “Have been better though,” she admitted with a slight chuckle. “Got stuck with nursing Craig back to health today. Did you see him at the call centre by chance? I thought he was about to go out of his bloody mind running late for work,” she laughed.

Sophie giggled and nodded. “I saw him. Though he didn’t seem too pleased about the Doctor filling in for him. He left pretty quickly.”

“Yeah, I can see that,” Ariel mumbled. “I feel bad. The Doctor only wanted to do a nice thing but I could see Craig was beginning to get a bit jealous of him getting all the attention.”

“I suppose,” Sophie shrugged. “But don’t go thinking it was a bad thing,” she assured the girl. “It was incredibly kind and with Craig’s illness coming on so fast before such an important meeting the Doctor might have saved him his job.”

“Yeah,” Ariel sighed. “I guess I just feel like I should have tried harder to warn him before he went barreling out of the flat,” she shrugged. “But never mind that,” she shook her head. “Let’s get inside,” she smiled, opening the door with her own key and allowing Sophie inside.

They walked up to the door of their flat and Sophie put her own key in as Ariel eyed her warily. 

“There’s something else the matter, isn’t there?” She prompted.

“What?” Sophie frowned. “I don’t-.”

“It’s Craig,” Ariel assumed with a nod. “Am I right?”

Sophie hesitated before sighing softly and turning back to the girl. “I don’t know,” she admitted with a shrug. I applied for this wildlife charity thing, I wanna work with animals you see, and they said I can start volunteering right away.”

“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?” Ariel prompted, smiling patiently at the girl. “You get to do what you’ve wanted.”

“I suppose,” Sophie shrugged. “I asked Craig and he thought I should do it, but-.”

“You’re hesitant,” Ariel smiled and nodded. Sophie simply sighed in response. “Well, come on,” she said, nudging the woman’s shoulder kindly. “Let’s get inside and see it we can’t work this out, hm?”

Sophie smiled and she turned her key in the door, but a voice at the top of the stairs pulled them both away from getting inside.

“Please can you help me?” The voice of a little girl called.

Ariel frowned and walked over to get a better look. All she could see was a silhouette as the power seemed to be flickering preventing her from getting a good look at the girl. 

“Oh, God,” Ariel breathed. Though it was strange seeing a little girl rather than the man she had expected, she knew this had to be the dangerous person living upstairs.

“What’s the matter, my love?” Sophie asked, her tone soft and kind in the face of what Ariel regarded with absolute concern. “Help you?” She prompted.

Sophie made to move for the stairs and Ariel immediately pushed her back. “Wait,” she said. “Let me help her.”

“But I can-,” Sophie began.

“No,” Ariel assured her with a shake of her head. “It’s alright. I just need you to get inside and tell the Doctor where I am.”

“Please, will you help me?” The little girl requested once again.

“I’ll help you,” Ariel nodded, heading up the steps to the girl.

“I want to help too,” Sophie insisted.

“No, Sophie,” Ariel shook her head firmly. “Just wait there.”

“Ariel, I’m helping,” Sophie said, her words not a request this time. Ariel sighed and hung her head, following the girl into the flat as Sophie ran up the steps after them. 

She frowned down at the door where Sophie’s keys dangled and her eyes widened as she fidgeted with her own keys in her pocket. If she was going to leave the Doctor a sign that she was upstairs as well this would be it. She dropped the keys in the middle of the staircase and prayed that the Doctor would spot them if she couldn’t get out of the mess she had managed to dive headfirst into.

Meanwhile, in Craig’s flat the Doctor groaned, rubbing his forehead in pain after he had whacked his head against Craig’s for the second time trying to give him all the information he needed to understand who he and Ariel were, why they were there and where they had come from.

Craig was hyperventilating in excitement while the Doctor just moaned in pain.

“I am never, never doing that ever, ever again,” the Doctor sighed. It was moments like these when he needed Ariel by his side yelling at him not to do the stupid thing.

He activated his earpiece and leant against the wall with a sigh.

“Amy,” he breathed.

“That’s Amy Pond,” Craig gasped, waving his hand wildly in both excitement and astonishment.

“Oh, of course, you can understand us now,” the Doctor moaned. “Hurrah,” he said sarcastically with a roll of his eyes. “Amy, go those plans yet?” He prompted.

“Still searching for them,” Amy replied.

“I’ve worked it out with psychic help from a cat,” the Doctor told her.

He paused, missing someone but unsure of who or what. There was input he felt he should be receiving but rather just felt nothing but dead silence. However, before he could dwell too long on it, Amy’s questioning disbelief pulled him out of his own mind. “A cat?”

“Yes,” the Doctor replied distractedly, an unfamiliar ache nagging at him but unwilling to identify itself. “I know he's got a time engine in the flat upstairs. He's using innocent people to try and launch it. Whenever he does, they get burnt up, hence the stain on your ceiling,” he explained.

“From the ceiling,” Craig echoed, nodding along. 

“Well done, Craig,” the Doctor said, his tone still dripping in sarcasm when he spoke. “And you, Miss Pond, nearly get thrown off into the Vortex,” he said.

“Lovely,” Amy replied flatly.

The Doctor paused, realizing when there was no whack on his arm or stern gaze telling him not to be so rude when Amy was afraid.

“Where’s Ariel?” The Doctor gasped. 

“How should I know?” Amy scoffed. “Doctor?”

The Doctor ignored her momentarily and turned to Craig, raising an eyebrow at the man who simply shrugged unaware of where Ariel may have gone since he left the flat.

“Doctor, where’s Ariel?” Amy said sharply, concern steadily creeping into her tone as she spoke. “Tell me she’s alright, Doctor, or I swear-.”

There was a loud crash from upstairs, answering their question with a resounding bang. 

“Ariel,” the Doctor breathed.

“People are dying up there,” Craig said in despair, but then he went on repeating in a loop as they had done in the park. 

The Doctor turned to him slowly as he kept repeating, “people are dying.” In his earpiece, Amy shrieked telling him she was being thrown around once again.

Craig managed to break out of his time loop and didn’t pause for a moment before crying, “they’re being killed!”

The loud crash from the ceiling kicked the Doctor into action. “Ariel. Ariel!” He bellowed, racing out of the flat with Craig following closely behind.

“Doctor?” Amy asked, panicked as she spoke.

“Hang on,” the Doctor snapped, not having time for the redhead at the moment.

He dashed up the stairs and nearly tripped on a pair of keys right in the center of the steps. The Doctor’s eyes grew wide and he knelt down to grab them while Craig remained fixated on a pair of keys still dangling in the door.

“It’s her,” the Doctor breathed, the confirmation in the keys all he needed to burst through the door and stop whatever that man was doing to Ariel. “Craig, come on!” The Doctor hollered, and paused when he followed Craig’s line of sight. 

“Sophie,” Craig breathed in horror. “It's Sophie that's dying up there! It's Sophie!” He cried.

“It’s both of them,” the Doctor nodded, holding up Ariel’s set of keys. “All the more reason to hurry it up! Come on!” He bellowed and they darted to the top of the steps only to have Amy’s voice bring them to a skidding halt.

“Doctor, I know you want to save her but just listen to me!” Amy snapped.

“Hang on,” the Doctor said, holding up a hand to stop Craig. “Amy, what is it?” 

“Are you upstairs?” Amy asked.

“Just going in,” the Doctor nodded. 

“No, I've got the plans,” Amy sighed. “You cannot be upstairs, it's a one-storey building. There is no upstairs!” She cried.

In response to her words, the two men looked down at the steps they had just run up as though those stairs were the truly terrifying factor. The Doctor quickly pulled open the flat door and the pair stepped inside to what was no a flat but an entire timeship.

“What? What?” Craig whispered, shock flooding his very core as they stared into the command center of the time engine. 

“Oh. Oh, of course,” the Doctor moaned, smacking the palm of his hand on his forehead and silently cursing himself for not having seen it sooner. “The time engine isn't in the flat, the time engine is the flat. Someone's attempt to build a Tardis,” he muttered out an explanation to Craig.

“No, there’s always been an upstairs,” Craig protested with a shake of his head. 

“Has there?” The Doctor prompted. “Think about it.”

“Yes,” Craig insisted, but his confidence wavered when he spotted the flat door just behind them flickering on and off. “No. I don’t-.”

“Perception filter,” the Doctor explained with a quick nod as his eyes raked over the large expanse of the ship. “It's more than a disguise. It tricks your memory.”

Before Craig could even begin to comprehend what the Doctor was telling him, there were dual screams from their far left in the ship. The Doctor’s eyes widened as Sophie and Ariel skidded into view. The two girls were being pulled in towards the central console of the room by an energy force. Both of them were yanking back against their hands, desperately trying to stop their palms from reaching the controls, but no matter how hard they fought they couldn’t stop the tug.

“Keep pulling back!” Ariel shouted. “Keep-!” Her instructions were cut off by a sharp pained scream that she couldn’t keep buried as the energy burned her hand.

“Sophie!” Craig cried. 

“Ariel!” The Doctor bellowed.

Each of them ran to the girls, trying to help them pull their hands out of the energy and away from the controls.

“Oh, my God, Sophie!” Craig exclaimed. 

“It hurts, Doctor,” Ariel whimpered. “It hurts so much.”

“I know,” the Doctor nodded, wincing as he felt her pain, piercing his hearts. “I’ll get you out of this, I promise,” he assured her.

“Craig,” Sophie gasped, desperately fighting to dig her heels in and stop from moving.

Ariel clung desperately to the Doctor with one arm while the Doctor wrapped his arm around her waist and tried to pull her away. “It’s controlling you,” he explained through grit teeth. “It’s willing you to touch the activator.”

The two men put in all they had and even they were just barely able to keep the girls from being tugged towards two large dome-shaped controls.

“That’s not going to have her,” Craig hissed.

Sophie screamed in pain as her hand hit the dome-shaped control and it hissed, burning the flesh off of her palm. The Doctor used his sonic to try and figure out a way to stop it or hopefully power it off, but he winced at the readings he got on his screwdriver.

“Ah, deadlock seal,” the Doctor murmured. 

“Are you serious?!” Ariel shrieked as she was tugged closer to the control. 

“Oh, that’s not going to happen,” the Doctor spat. He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her off her feet, tearing her away from the control, but she was still dragged towards it by her hand.

Suddenly, with a strange hiss, the machine let Sophie go and she dropped to the ground beside Craig clutching her hand. However, Ariel was not as lucky. She was still being pulled forward and the Doctor dropped her momentarily as he glanced over at Sophie with large eyes. 

“What?” The Doctor gasped. “Why's it let her go? And not Ariel?” He wondered.

“Doctor,” Ariel whimpered as her hand fell just inches away from the controls.

The Doctor held her hand tightly, helping her keep her hand away as he thought. “So, okay,” the Doctor mumbled.

Before he could follow along with a train of thought, a hologram of an old man right beside them. 

“You will help me,” the hologram said. 

“Right. Stop,” the Doctor nodded, holding up a single finger while continuing to use his other hand to keep Ariel away from the controls. “Crashed ship, let's see. Hello, I'm Captain Troy Handsome of International Rescue. Please state the nature of your emergency,” he instructed.

“Excuse me?!” Ariel snorted, taking a moment to laugh at that despite the gravity of her situation.

“The ship has crashed. The crew are dead. A pilot is required,” the hologram announced.

“You’re the emergency crash program,” the Doctor realized. “A hologram. What, you've been luring people up here so you can try them out?” The Doctor snarled. He pointed his sonic at the hologram and it flickered between the old man, the little girl Ariel had seen at the top of the steps, and a young man all saying the same thing in their different voices, “you will help me.”

“Doctor, why won’t it let me go?!” Ariel cried, desperate to know why the controls had released Sophie and not her as well.

Sophie stared around the ship with large eyes, beginning to get her bearings and understand that she had no idea how she could have possibly gotten on the ship. “Craig, what is this? Where am I?” Sophie asked and Craig calmed her growing anxiety for the moment so he could listen and learn just what this hologram was doing living in the flat above his own.

“Hush,” the Doctor snapped, his patience growing thin as Ariel’s hand steadily continued to inch closer despite his best efforts keeping it away. “Human brains aren't strong enough, they just burn. But you're stupid, though. You just keep trying,” he scoffed, uncaring of how rude he may be to the hologram currently trying to burn the woman he loved.

“Doctor,” Ariel whimpered, tears beginning to blur her vision as she felt the heat of the controls nearing her palm. She knew what happened next. That thing would burn her in a matter of moments and she would be nothing more than a failed pilot. She had always thought if she died with the Doctor she wanted to die for a worthy cause. Saving lives, not another lost cause.

“Seventeen people have been tried. Six billion four hundred thousand and twenty six remain,” the hologram announced.

“Humans won’t work, even Ariel’s not strong enough for this,” the Doctor snarled, his hatred practically radiating off him in waves. 

Ariel didn’t think she had ever personally witnessed him as angry as he had been in that moment. She had seen him upset sure, seen glimpses of the famed, ‘ _ Oncoming Storm _ ’ but she had never seen pury fury such as the anger that gripped his eyes in that moment.

“Seriously, what is going on?” Sophie gasped as Craig ran away from her side to try and help keep Ariel away as she was barely a few centimetres from the control.

“Oh, for goodness sake,” the Doctor snapped, completely uncaring if he was rude to her. “The top floor of Craig's building is in reality an alien spaceship intent on slaughtering the population of this planet. Any questions? No, good.”

“Yes, I have questions,” Sophie insisted with an adamant nod. 

“Can they wait?!” Ariel cried and she let out a wailing shriek as her hand slammed down on the control and she felt her skin burning.

“Stop the right now!” The Doctor snapped. “She can’t possibly survive this!” 

“Doctor!” Ariel screamed, tears streaming down her face.

It seemed the controls would not let her go until she was dead when, all of a sudden, she was tossed backwards, the machine releasing her and allowing her to fall backwards into the Doctor’s arms.

“Are you okay?” The Doctor breathed, checking over her anxiously and peering at the bright red skin on the palm of her hand with sad eyes. He should have saved her before it got that far.

Ariel gulped harshly and nodded, her eyes fixated on her hand. “I think so,” she mumbled. 

“The correct pilot has now been found,” the hologram announced and Ariel groaned as she realized it wasn’t over just yet. 

“Yes, I was a bit worried that you were going to say that,” the Doctor mumbled.

The energy that had gripped Ariel’s hand, latched onto the Doctor’s hearts and Ariel sucked in a sharp breath, immediately jumping up to try and pull him away as he had done for her.

“Doctor, no!” Ariel shrieked, fighting with everything she had in her to pull the Doctor away.

“The correct pilot has been found. The correct pilot has been found. The correct pilot has been found,” the hologram repeated continuously as Ariel fought to now pull  _ him  _ away from the controls.

“Oh, shut up,” Ariel moaned, getting sick of the hologram repetitively announcing her boyfriend’s possible death. 

“What’s happening?!” Amy cried, only hearing the bits and pieces of what they were screaming as chaos unravelled.

“It's pulling me in,” the Doctor replied through grit teeth. “I'm the new pilot.”

He latched onto a nearby column in the ship in an attempt to keep from being pulled in and Ariel latched onto his arm, digging her heels in and trying to keep him away. 

“Could you do it?” Amy wondered. “Could you fly the ship safely?”

“No, I'm way too much for this ship,” the Doctor explained with his jaw clenched in exertion. “My hand touches that panel, the planet doesn't blow up, the whole solar system does.”

Ariel’s eyes widened. She was already desperate to stop his hand from touching the panel in the fear that he might be killed, but with the knowledge that the Doctor piloting the ship would not only kill the pair of them but the entire solar system, she fought harder than she thought possible not just trying to save his life but the life of the solar system.

“The correct pilot has been found,” the hologram announced once again.

“Stop saying that!” Ariel snapped, growing irritable. “No, he hasn’t!”

“No,” the Doctor shook his head. “Worst choice ever, I promise you! Stop this!” He begged.

“There’s gotta be a way to stop it,” Ariel insisted with a nod. “There’s gotta be a way to deter it.”

“It doesn't want everyone,” the Doctor nodded. “Craig, it didn't want you,” he reminded him.

“Yes!” Ariel exclaimed, pulling at the Doctor’s shoulder to keep him away as she gazed at Craig and Sophie with large eyes. “You said you met him before but he didn’t want you, what happened?”

“I spoke to him and he said I couldn't help him,” Craig stuttered, terrified. 

“It didn't want Sophie before but now it does. What's changed? Argh!” He yelled as his hand got closer to the controls.

“She wanted to leave!” Ariel exclaimed. 

“I gave her the idea of leaving,” the Doctor nodded.

“But it dropped her,” Ariel remembered. “It dropped her. She said she was hesitant about leaving. She wasn’t totally sure.”

“And you, Ariel. It kept you because you love to travel. You love to run away from your life. You crave it almost as much as I do. It's a machine that needs to leave. It wants people who want to escape. And you don't want to leave, Craig. You're Mister Sofa Man,” he said. “Craig, you can shut down the engine!” He called out to the other man. “Put your hand on the panel and concentrate on why you want to stay!” He instructed.

“Craig, no,” Sophie cried in fear.

“Will it work?” Craig demanded.

“Yes,” the Doctor told him firmly with a nod though Ariel already knew he had no idea if that was true and he was just guessing, grasping for straws and hoping his idea would release his hand.

“Are you sure?” Craig checked.

“Yes,” the Doctor replied and Ariel shrieked as his hand moved closer, desperately trying to peel his fingers away from the controls.

“Is that a lie?” Craig demanded.

“Yes, of course it’s a lie!” The Doctor bit out frantically. 

“It's good enough for me,” Craig sighed and turned to the control. He took a deep breath. “Geronimo!” He cried and slammed his hand down on the control, which glowed bright red underneath his touch and hissed as it burned his skin. “Argh!” He screamed. 

The machine released the Doctor and he and Ariel went stumbling backwards.

“Doctor? Are you alright?” Ariel gasped, turning to assess any damage he may have.

The Doctor heaved a soft sigh of relief at his release and nodded. He smiled down at her and pulled her into his arms. He rubbed his hand gently and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“Craig!” Sophie shrieked in horror and Ariel and the Doctor scrambled over to his side to help him.

“Craig, what's keeping you here? Think about everything that makes you want to stay here. Why don't you want to leave?” The Doctor demanded.

“Sophie!” Craig exclaimed. “I don't want to leave Sophie. I can't leave Sophie. I love Sophie,” he gasped.

Ariel and the Doctor shared a grin and stepped back, allowing Sophie to step forward and meet Craig’s gaze with large eyes.

“I love you, too, Craig, you idiot,” Sophie blurted out happily before slamming her hand down on the control right on top of Craig’s.

Ariel beamed at the pair as sparks shot out from the machine as it began to smoke and crackle.

“Honestly, do you mean that?” Craig gasped, unable to quite believe that she loved him back.

“Of course I mean it,” Sophie assured him with a warm smile and nod “Do you mean it?” She checked and Ariel snorted. They were like schoolchildren.

“I've always meant it,” Craig grinned. “Seriously though, do you mean it?” He clarified, unable to quite believe that she loved him back.

“Yes,” Sophie replied, tearing a little in her happiness.

“What about the monkeys?” Craig wondered and Ariel groaned.

“Oh, for crying out loud,” Ariel moaned.

“Not now, not again,” the Doctor sighed. “Craig, the planet's about to burn. For God's sake, kiss the girl!” He cried.

“Kiss the girl!” Ariel chorused, grinning at them.

From the Doctor’s earpiece, Amy shouted, “kiss the girl!”

Craig and Sophie and their hands were slowly released from the machine, sliding down to hold each other with. The whole machine stopped and Ariel watched as sparks shot out from it as it broke down. She turned to the Doctor and grinned and without a moment for her to even grasp what was happening, he tangled her fingers in her hair and tipped her head up before his lips descended on hers. 

She blinked momentarily in surprise before melting into the kiss, winding her fingers into his hair as she kissed him back just as enthusiastically.

They only pulled apart as the hologram appeared before them, flickering between its three states as it had done when the Doctor used his sonic on it and they all repeated the same phrase. “Help me. Help me. Help me.”

The Doctor and Ariel shared the same knowing but wide eyed gaze as the hologram whizzed through the various forms and the whole ship began to shake.

Craig and Sophie came up for air, frowning at the ship around them. “Did we switch if off?” Craig asked with a small frown.

“Emergency shutdown,” the Doctor breathed, grabbing Ariel’s hand instinctively. “It's imploding. Everybody out, out, out!” He ordered and they ran out of the ship.

The four of them all bolted down the steps, out the door and across the street from the house. They spun around just in time to see the ship appear before them on what was supposedly the second floor of the flat. The perception filter on it disappeared along with the ship itself leaving them all stood across the street gasping for air as the adrenaline washed from their systems.

A man carrying a child walked along the pavement beside the house and hardly seemed phased or even seemed to nice the sudden disappearance of the second floor in the building he moved past.

“Look at them. Didn't they see that?” Craig asked, clear confusion present at the lack of any expression visible in the man. “The whole top floor just vanished.”

“Perception filter,” the Doctor sighed. “There never was a top floor.”

Ariel glanced up at him and they both shared a grin. It was nice to be able to share that utter rush of relief of survival with someone you were so close to. If there was any moment Ariel enjoyed most it was moments like those when she could look into the Doctor’s green eyes and know that together they had survived another adventure.

She leant into him and he hugged her sideways as they all stared up at the building in blissful elation.

~~~

That afternoon, the Doctor and Ariel packed up their belongings and tried to creep out of the house without disturbing Sophie or Craig as they snogged on the sofa.

Ariel paused as the Doctor went to set down their keys and frowned at the pair. “Do you think if we didn’t even try to be quiet they notice?” She wondered and the Doctor chuckled and shook his head.

The Doctor placed the keys on the cabinet by the flat door when Craig noticed them trying to sneak away.

“Oi,” Craig called.

“What, you're trying to sneak off?” Sophie said teasingly and the Doctor and Ariel shared an amused look.

“Yes, well, you were sort of busy,” the Doctor muttered with a sheepish smile as he gestured vaguely to the sofa.

“Didn’t want to interrupt,” Ariel giggled.

Craig chuckled a little and reached over, grabbing the keys the Doctor had returned and handing them back to the couple. “I want you to keep these,” he said and the Doctor’s eyes widened.

“Thank you,” the Doctor murmured, a smile tugging at his lips as he accepted the keys gratefully. “Because I might pop back soon, have another little stay,” the Doctor added with an adamant nod and a warm smile.

“No, you won’t,” Craig snorted. When the Doctor raised an eyebrow, he just chuckled and shook his head. “I've been in your head, remember,” he reminded the Doctor. “I still want you to keep them,” he nodded.

The Doctor’s face softened, taken by pleasant surprise. “Thank you, Craig,” he murmured softly. 

“Thanks, Craig,” Ariel beamed at the man.

“Thank  _ you _ ,” Craig amended. “Ariel, Doctor,” he smiled, nodding to each of them in turn.

The Doctor smiled brightly and turned to Sophie. “Sophie. Now then. Six billion four hundred thousand and twenty six people in the world. That's the number to beat.”

“Yeah,” Sophie said, laughing a little.

Ariel grinned and stepped forward, pulling Sophie into a hug. “Bye, Sophie. It was a pleasure getting to know you.”

“Bye, Ariel,” Sophie whispered. “It’s been brilliant,” she said, pulling out of the hug and grinning at the brunette.

The Doctor patted both Sophie and Craig on the back in farewell and he and Ariel left. They headed out of the house and down the street to where the Tardis was waiting.

“Y’know, it’s only been three days but I still miss that box so much,” Ariel sighed.

The Doctor chuckled and couldn’t help but simply not in agreement as he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close to his chest. 

However, before they could reach the Tardis, Craig opened the front door and stopped them in their tracks.

“Doctor!” Craig called. “A word?” He requested. 

Ariel glanced back in surprise with a small frown but the Doctor just nodded. He gestured for Ariel to go ahead to the Tardis and with only a moment of pause, she sighed softly and nodded, walking ahead to the Tardis while the Doctor headed back to Craig.

“Craig, my man. What’s the problem?” The Doctor asked, smiling kindly at the man. 

Craig simply chuckled and shook his head. “No problem. It’s just, I saw inside your head remember? And since you and Ariel helped me get together with Sophie I figured I should give you my opinion, or rather some advice.”

The Doctor nodded, not understanding where Craig was going but willing to listen.

“Ask her,” Craig said firmly. “I know you’re thinking about it and you’re not sure how to go about it, but just ask her. Don’t wait. The time will never be just right.”

The Doctor looked at the other man in surprise before his face fell thoughtful.

“Hm, you got that from a book,” the Doctor remarked.

“Everyone takes it from a book,” Craig shrugged, chuckling lightly.

The Doctor grinned and clapped Craig’s shoulder. “Thanks, Craig,” he sighed before turning and walking back to the Tardis.

“Think about it!” Craig called. “Goodbye, Doctor!”

The Doctor simply waved a hand back as he stepped into the blue police box and Craig watched as the Tardis wheezed and disappeared.

Inside the Tardis, the Doctor headed in while Ariel and Amy stood side by side leaning on the console and grinning at him. 

He peeled off his coat and tossed it onto the jumpseat. “Right,” he sighed, marching up to the console and beginning to pull various levers.

“Back in time,” the Doctor announced. “You need to go to the paper shop and leave that note for us,” he instructed Amy.

“Right little matchmaker, aren't you?” Amy hummed. “Can't you find me a fellow?” She chuckled.

Ariel paled considerably as she fell back onto the jumpseat the Doctor had placed his coat on and the Doctor sought out to immediately change the subject.

“Oh, rectifier's playing up again,” the Doctor moaned. “Hold on. You write the note and I'll change that will,” he instructed as he headed down the steps of the console room across the corridor.

“You got a pen?” Amy asked with a small frown.

“He’s probably got a pen in his coat,” Ariel offered with a small shrug. She picked up the Doctor’s jacket and handed it to Amy before darting down the steps to follow the Time Lord.

“Make sure it’s a red pen!” The Doctor called as she fished through the pockets of his jacket.

Rather than a pen, she found a small but red velvet box and frowned. She remembered the Doctor had wanted to propose to Ariel, but that had been a purple box. Did he change the ring?

As Amy opened the box, something felt wrong. It felt as though her mind was crying out for the memory of someone she didn’t know. She stared at the box, willing her mind to remember but all that came forth was the crack in her wall as a child. 

She snapped the box shut and took a shaky breath. She was missing something, but she couldn’t remember what.


	23. Proposal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The moment you all have been waiting for... at least I hope you have because if you haven't this story has been really dull.

The next week, they followed a distress signal to a family spaceship where a Scientist Dalek was attempting to steal the technology. When the engine overloaded, the whole Jones family were scattered into space and time, and the three of them travelled to many different locations, such as an ancient Incan temple, facing many different monsters like Cybermen and Silurians, on their quest to find and help the family.

The night after, Ariel found herself unable to sleep, her mind unwilling to turn off despite sleeping in the same bed as the Doctor which normally helped her fall asleep within a matter of moments.

She crawled out of bed just after midnight, unwilling to wake him up as she walked out and headed to the kitchen to make herself a cup of hot cocoa.

She then proceeded to walk aimlessly through the halls, unsure of where she was headed but just knowing she needed to occupy her mind in the early hours on the Tardis until everyone else woke up.

She began approaching the Tardis TV Room and debated walking in and just watching some movies to pass the time until she heard the television already on. She frowned and thought back to the last time she had used the telly. Had she left it on?

Slowly but steadily she creaked open the door and found none other than Amy Pond sitting on the recliner, eating some pancakes the brunette had left in the fridge and laughing at whatever she was watching.

Ariel chuckled and swung the door open completely, leaning against the doorframe and watching Amy with an amused grin.

“Having fun?” She prompted and the redhead jumped in her seat, choking on the pancakes and glancing over at Ariel with wide eyes.

“Don’t do that!” Amy cried and Ariel laughed. She walked in and plopped down in the seat beside Amy.

“What are we watching?” She asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Disney movies,” Amy sighed. She pulled her pancakes into her lap and passed the remote to Ariel.

“Ah, Aladdin,” Ariel hummed, smiling softly at the screen as Aladdin and Jasmine sang  _ A Whole New World. _

“Yeah, it’s my favourite Disney movie,” Amy grinned. 

Ariel turned to the redhead and eyed her curiously before nodding. “I can see that,” she said. “Magic carpets, genie in the lamp, it seems like something you’d love,” she nodded.

“What’s your favorite Disney movie?” Amy wondered.

“ _ Beauty and the Beast _ ,” Ariel shrugged. “I love a Disney princess that is obsessed with books as I am,” she smiled.

“Well, we should watch that next,” Amy shrugged. “I bet you can sing every song in there,” she chuckled.

“And recite a lot of the lines,” Ariel giggled. “We didn’t have a lot of Disney movies in the house growing up and since I was so in love with that one it was basically the only thing I watched,” she laughed.

“I can just imagine a tiny Ariel sat in front of the telly singing  _ Beauty and the Beast  _ for the thousandth time driving her Mum and Dad up a wall,” Amy chuckled.

“That’s actually fairly accurate,” Ariel smiled. “But come on, let’s finish  _ Aladdin  _ and then we can get started binging every Disney musical we can until the Doctor gets up.”

Amy laughed and nodded, turning back to the screen as Aladdin brought Jasmine back home.

After the movie ended, they put on  _ Beauty and the Beast  _ until nearly two in the morning, then  _ The Lion King _ , then  _ The Hunchback of Notre Dame  _ until Ariel fell asleep.

Once the brunette had passed out in her recliner, Amy paused the movie and carried her to her room which was luckily only a few doors down. It was then that Amy decided she’d better try and catch some sleep before the Doctor leapt into their rooms first thing in the morning and brought up some new and magical place for them to visit. 

She cleaned up the food they had snacked on through the movies and with that, she retired to her room.

~~~

The next morning, the Doctor couldn’t keep his gaze off of the engagement ring he had on his dresser. He thought over Craig’s words and sighed. He wanted to ask her, but he wasn’t sure how. He wanted to do something extraordinary, to propose to her in some wonderful area that was awe-inspiring and magical. A proposal she deserved. 

He took a deep breath and put the ring in his pocket. He knew he had to do it. There was only the question of  _ how _ . 

He marched out to the console room where he usually went to pass the time before everyone woke up and simply think. He spent what felt like ages just gazing at the small box, silently begging it to somehow answer his unspoken question. 

He thought of all the different places he could take her; an alien planet with Frank Sinatra playing, Victorian London, any point in the future but nothing felt  _ right. _

The Doctor paced the Tardis with wide eyes, hardly breathing as he stared at the ground and tossed the small box in his hands.   


“Oh, stop pacing, you’re giving me a headache,” Amy moaned, heading into the console room and rubbing her forehead already.   


“Pond!” The Doctor exclaimed. He ran up to her and guided her down to the jumpseat, staring at her with the same crazed expression he had worn for the past hour.   


“Okay, did you have a bit too much sugar before I woke up?” Amy frowned. “Doctor, you know Ariel told you that you don’t need the sugar to have energy,” she reminded him. The brunette had said countless times that she loved the Doctor’s energy as it was, but the more candy he ate, the more overwhelmingly energetic he got. She could usually keep up, but for the sake of other companions traveling with them, Ariel asked that he not eat too much candy all the time. He agreed begrudgingly.   


“No,” the Doctor breathed shaking his head furiously. He held out the small box and Amy’s eyes grew just as wide as the Doctor’s.   


“Oh,” Amy breathed. “Are you proposing to me?”   


The Doctor chuckled quickly and spun away, his breath shaky as he thought. “I don’t know how to do it,” he mumbled. “How did Ror-?” He stopped himself. He kept forgetting that Amy had no idea who Rory was. The Doctor shook his head. “Never mind.”   


“Okay, well if you want my opinion, I say you should just do it,” Amy told him, standing up and walking to his side, leaning on the console as she looked up at him.   


“What do you mean?” The Doctor frowned, shaking his head slightly in confusion.   


“I mean,” Amy sighed. “Ariel’s a simple girl. She doesn’t want the universe and all the stars in it like most girls,” she shook her head. “She just wants you. She’s happy with all of this,” she said, gesturing around to the Tardis. “But she doesn’t need it. She can be happy even without it. Sure, she’ll be pleased if you give her this great big proposal on an alien planet with fireworks and a choir in the background, but I think she’ll be even happier if it’s just you,” she nodded. “In the Tardis, telling her how much you love her,” she smiled softly.   


The Doctor grinned at her. “You’re brilliant, you are,” the Doctor hummed.   


“I know,” Amy smirked. “So, when are you gonna do it?”   


“I don’t know,” the Doctor sighed. “Haven’t really thought that bit through yet,” he shrugged.    


“Why not do it now?” Amy suggested with a shrug.   


“What?” The Doctor’s face fell and he stared at Amy with the same terrified gaze he bore when she first walked in.   


“Well, I’m just saying,” Amy sighed. “You could get her right when she gets up and it could be this extremely adorable moment between you two.”   


“I don’t know, I-,” the Doctor stammered awkwardly, growing flustered as Amy just laughed.   


“Oh, come on,” Amy moaned. “What’s the worst she could do?” She shrugged. “Say no?”   


“Yes,” the Doctor gasped with wide eyes.   


“She won’t say no,” Amy insisted. “She loves you more than anything,” she shrugged. “She would never say no.”   


“But if she does?” The Doctor prompted. “If she’s not ready for that yet? If she thinks it’s too fast? If-.”   


“Doctor,” Amy sighed. “You’ve been together for  _ two years _ ,” she reminded him with a smile. “It’s not too fast.”   


“But if she thinks it is,” the Doctor nodded. “Oh, God, I could scare her off,” he realized. “Right, I’m not doing this,” he said, marching back to the controls.   


Amy placed her hand on his chest and gently shoved him away. “You’re doing this,” Amy nodded. “And if she says no it’s not like she’ll leave you. She’ll still love you, she’ll just wanna wait a bit longer. There’s no harm in that,” she shrugged.   


“Right,” the Doctor said, sucking in a sharp breath. “I’m gonna do this.”   


“There you are!” Amy grinned. “Go get her! But actually don’t wake her up because she’s had a pretty long night and she may hate you if you try to shove her awake. She may yell at you and kick you out,” she warned.   


The Doctor’s eyes widened and the fear that had flooded his veins gripped his hearts once again. He took a deep breath and he nodded as he turned around and made his way to Ariel’s room.   


The Doctor’s breathing was shaky as he walked down the corridor, debating exactly how he could say what he felt to her. She had always hated cheesy confessions. Words that didn’t really mean anything, they were just said because they felt right in the moment. She wanted people to be genuine. To express how they felt without trying to say it just because they thought it would be something she wanted to hear.   


She had told him stories of how on her first Valentine’s Day, her first boyfriend messaged her and just rambled on about how thought she was kinda nice and mentioned she was pretty, and that was that. It felt like he didn’t really care and it made Ariel feel disgusted.   


The Doctor took a deep breath and turned to her door. He opened it slowly and watched as she slept on her bed. At the sound of the door creaking, she rolled over, sighing loudly and the Doctor’s eyes widened. He hadn’t meant to wake her up.   


Ariel moaned adorably in her bed and smiled at the Doctor. “Hi,” she murmured.   


The Doctor smirked. “Hello,” he nodded. “I didn’t mean to wake you up,” he said.   


“Oh, it’s alright,” Ariel shrugged. “Did Amy tell you not to wake me up?” She giggled. “Her and I were up late last night watching Disney movies,” she laughed.   


The Doctor chuckled and walked inside, closing the door behind him. “She did, but I didn’t want to wake you up anyway,” he shrugged. He walked over to her bedside and shifted awkwardly before kneeling.   


“Are you alright?” Ariel frowned, brushing her hair out of her face and narrowing her eyes at the Doctor.   


“Yeah,” the Doctor sighed with a soft smile. “In fact I've been alright for quite a bit and I think that's because of you. I didn’t think that I ever deserved someone who made me happy. After everything in this long life, I always thought I was better alone. I never wanted anything I couldn’t bear losing because I wouldn’t know how to live without it,” he shrugged. He cupped Ariel’s cheek with a small smile. “It’s already too late for that and I know we don’t have forever, but I want you with me in each of those numbered days.” He pulled out the small box and revealed a beautiful Whitepoint Star gleaming up at Ariel.   


Ariel gasped and covered her mouth, staring at the ring and the Doctor with wide eyes. This was really happening. The Doctor was really proposing to her.    


“Now, I could go on about how gorgeous and brilliant you are, and in all honesty, to me you are completely perfect,” the Doctor smiled.  
Ariel’s eyes widened and she shook her head furiously.  


“Even if you don’t think that yourself,” the Doctor chuckled, delicately brushing a few stray strands of hair out of her eyes. “But none of that is why I want to marry you. With you, I don’t feel alone,” he said. “With you, I finally feel like there’s a bit of hope for a lonely old man in a box.”   


Ariel giggled and cupped his cheek with a soft smile. Words could not even express how lucky she felt to be in love with her Doctor.   


“So, Ariel Parsons, will you marry me?” The Doctor asked, with a hopeful smile.   


Ariel gazed into his eyes, searching them endlessly and grinning at the beautiful wonder in them. She realized that a life with him was practically guaranteed and just for a second, she wanted to see what would happen if she didn’t give the answer everybody was expecting.  She took a deep breath and glanced into his eyes.   


“No,” Ariel breathed and the Doctor’s face fell. “I didn’t mean that,” Ariel said immediately, shaking her head. “I just wanted to try it,” she giggled. “To see how it felt,” she shook her head and the Doctor began smiling once again, chuckling as he looked into her eyes.   


“So, is that a yes?” The Doctor asked, not bothering to conceal the hope in his voice.   


“Yes,” Ariel grinned. “Of course, yes. A thousand times yes,” she giggled placing her hands on the Doctor’s cheeks and kissing him happily.  
The Doctor smiled at her and delicately placed the ring on her finger, kissing her again, this time much more deeply as he stood up and wrapped his arms around her.

Ariel was happier than she ever thought possible. She knew her happiness would not have been possible if she never met the Doctor. If she had never run face first into his Tardis she would be stuck existing in the same old day to day life and never truly feeling  _ alive _ .

She remembered the dream the Dream Lord had put her in. A life where she had never run away with the Doctor. Yes, that meant her mother had survived but she had never become the mother Ariel had in those last few months before she died. In that reality, Ariel was stuck working a job she despised and never getting the chance to be happy and live for herself. With the Doctor, she got the chance to be happy and feel like she truly belonged somewhere. With him, she felt like she had a home and she was more than overjoyed at the idea of spending the rest of her life by his side.

In that dream, she had imagined a world without the pair of them together and quite frankly she felt that world was entirely worthless.

He brushed his thumb across her cheek and for a moment they gazed into each other’s eyes, entirely drunk with the other. Every moment she felt how deeply she loved him. In the silence, in his endless adorable little rambles, when he slept with his arms curled tightly around her as though he couldn’t bear to let her go for a single moment she knew it was love.

When she was with him she understood why for centuries, people had fought wars and lost their minds over this fickle feeling. She understood why poets and authors and musicians had tried so hard trying to put it into words. She couldn’t find a way to express it herself.

She just knew without hope or witness, she loved him. She didn’t need the universe and all its stars when she had him. 

She knew that the love she shared with him was the kind people waited their entire lives for and she would gladly wait the rest of her life to find him again if that was what it took. 

She couldn’t imagine a life without him at this point. 

In the end, she made him a better person, but he changed her too. He challenged her, surprised her and made her question her life and her very beliefs, something Ariel was happy to welcome every single day she knew him. 

She didn’t want to be without him, and now she knew with nothing but pure love in his hearts that he felt just the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor's proposal and Ariel's response was based off this scene from the Time Traveler's Wife: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WArrD9VPJE


	24. The Pandorica Opens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where everything comes to a tipping point! I can't wait to read what you guys think!

Celebrating their engagement, the Doctor took Ariel and consequently Amy to the favorite time period and place of the brunette. Victorian London at Christmas time.

However, what they found was the very opposite of the fairy-tale like Christmas the Doctor had hoped for. Rather, they found a village covered in red mist, a mist that they discovered to be a psychic fog separating parents from children.

The fog blocked the children, from the minds of their parents until the Doctor used his sonic screwdriver to clear away the fog with a bright light. In the light, those behind the fog were revealed as Krampus — creatures of folklore who use the fog to create a fear and sadness (in this case from the feelings of losing a child at Christmas), on which they feed.

The screwdriver didn’t give light to keep the fog away. It crept back until the Doctor returned to the Tardis and switched on the roof light. 

The fog was dispersed, the parents were reunited with their children and the Krampus, unable to exist without sadness, faded away.

Despite their victory, the Doctor still regretted his inability to provide Ariel a single trip meant solely for celebration. He tried endlessly to take her somewhere she could be happy and forget the responsibility they each wore to save the lives of people they didn’t know. She had done so much for him, been there in times when he felt utterly useless and stayed beside him when any sane person would have abandoned him in an instant. 

She had long since become his home granting that sense of safety and raw happiness he had left Gallifrey in search of. He could only hope he could provide her the same comfort one day.

Ariel skipped into the Tardis grinning as she scooped out her ice cream and plopped down in the jumpseat.

“Where to next?” Ariel wondered, smiling sweetly at the Doctor while he beamed at her. “I’m thinking an alien planet. It’s been a while since we’ve gone to one of those and considering the failed trip to the fifth moon of Cindie Colesta I think we’re overdue,” she giggled.

The Doctor smiled softly and simply nodded. 

All of a sudden, he had a famed “lightbulb moment” and his eyes grew large. 

“Oh, I know that look,” Ariel laughed. “Where did you think of?”

“What if we didn’t just go to any old ordinary alien planet this time, but the oldest planet in the universe?” He proposed and Ariel’s eyes grew as wide as his. 

She leant forward in the jumpseat and smiled. “Okay,” she nodded. “I’m listening. But what made you think of going there?”

“Hold on, we need to get Pond up here for this,” the Doctor said, holding up a finger to pause the thought. “Where is she?”

“Last I saw,” Ariel trailed off, pointing below the console room to finish her own thought. 

“Ah,” the Doctor smiled. He ran to the edge of the console room and bent his head over the railing to catch Amy sitting in the swing he kept below when he worked on repairs. “Vavoom!” He exclaimed.

“Va-what?” Amy frowned.

“Just get up here!” Ariel laughed, leaning over the railing as well. “We’ve got a planet to get to!”

Amy giggled and hopped off the swing, placing a small item on the seat before running up the steps to join them.

“I can't believe I've never thought of this before. It's genius!” The Doctor cried.

“What’s he on about?” Amy mumbled, a small frown on her lips.

“No idea,” Ariel shrugged. “He didn’t want to tell me until you got up here. Spoil the surprise I suppose.”

“Right. Landed,” the Doctor announced. “Come on,” he said, waving Amy onward and grabbing Ariel’s hand.

“Where are we?” Amy asked.

“Yeah, where have you taken us?” Ariel said, pulling the Doctor away from the door and stopping him before he could run out without giving them a proper explanation.

“Planet One,” the Doctor smiled. “The oldest planet in the universe. And there's a cliff of pure diamond, and according to legend, on the cliff there's writing. Letters fifty feet high. A message from the dawn of time And no one knows what it says, because no one's ever translated it,” he shrugged, then paused for dramatic effect. “Till today.”

“What happens today?” Amy wondered, raising an interested brow.

“Us,” the Doctor grinned, tapping Ariel’s nose happily and making her giggle. “The Tardis can translate anything. All we have to do is open the doors and read the very first words in recorded history,” he hummed.

“Well let’s get to it then!” Ariel exclaimed, excitement rushing through her veins as the Doctor laughed and held out his arm. She looped her arm through his and the trio skipped out to the planet surface. 

Planet One was beautiful with greenery everywhere and what looked like ten foot mushrooms growing around them, but looming over it all was the enormous cliff face the Doctor had described with large letters carved into the side.

Ariel snorted as she read the words while the Doctor just huffed in annoyance.

“A message from the dawn of time indeed,” Ariel hummed and the Doctor simply rolled his eyes.

Inscribed in the cliff face, the message the Doctor had built up to was none other than: ‘Hello love, Hello sweetie’. Below the message was a string of coordinates and Ariel finally burst out laughing while the Doctor just glared.

He marched back into the Tardis and Ariel shook her head at the sight. 

“Well, she certainly does know how to get your attention,” Amy remarked.

“That, she does,” Ariel giggled. “Come on, we have to go make sure he actually follows the coordinates.”

Amy nodded and followed the brunette into the Tardis, closing the door behind them. “Have I ever told you that you three have the strangest relationship I’ve ever seen?”

“No, but you don’t have to,” Ariel laughed, skipping up the steps to the Doctor’s side.

“I mean, most people would just send a text, but your texting is writing messages on the oldest cliff face in the universe,” Amy remarked.

“Ah, but texting is boring,” Ariel hummed, gently pushing the Doctor to the side to correct the coordinates to his annoyance. “This is way more fun,” she beamed.

The Doctor pulled the lever and set the Tardis in motion flinging both Amy and Ariel off their feet.

When they landed, Ariel groaned and rubbed the back of her head. “Will you ever use the stabilizers?”

“Not a chance,” the Doctor laughed. “Come on, we still have to find River and see what she wants,” he sighed. He helped Ariel to her feet and wrapped his arm around her shoulders while she giggled.

“Y’know,” Ariel hummed. “I seem to remember a certain somebody saying he would not be there every time she wanted to be picked up and was not- what was it?”

“A taxi service?” Amy provided with a bemused grin.

“Ah, yes!” Ariel exclaimed. “You’re not _ a taxi service _ ,” she reminded him.

“Oh, don’t you two start on me now,” the Doctor moaned and the women laughed as they stepped outside.

They narrowed their eyes at their surroundings. They seemed to be on a hill at the very edge of a wood somewhere.

“Right place?” Amy prompted, not convinced River would be waiting for them there.

“Just followed the coordinates on the cliff face,” the Doctor shrugged.

“And I checked them to make sure he was  _ actually _ following the coordinates on the cliff face,” Ariel added with a nod.

“Earth. Britain. one oh two am. No, pm,” the Doctor corrected with a small shake of his head.

Ariel sucked in a sharp breath and tugged on the Doctor’s jacket sleeve when she spotted a small Roman camp laid out in the field below them.

“No, AD,” the Doctor breathed.

“That's a Roman Legion,” Amy gasped, having followed their line of sight to the camp below them.

“Well, yeah,” the Doctor shrugged. “The Romans invaded Britain several times during this period.”

“Oh, I know,” Amy hummed, grinning at the couple. “My favourite topic at school. ‘Invasion of the hot Italians’,” she smirked.

The Doctor paled and met Amy with large eyes while Ariel just laughed and shook her head at the redhead.

“Yeah, I did get marked down for the title,” Amy winced at their reactions.

Just then, a Roman soldier ran up to them and did a salute. “Hail, Caesar!” He cried, kneeling before them. “Madam Calpurnia,” he nodded in greeting to Ariel.

Ariel frowned and glanced at the Doctor, silently asking him to offer some sort of explanation but all he could do was shrug.

“Er, hi?” Ariel said, unsure of what else to do.

“Welcome to Britain,” the Roman soldier greeted. “We are honoured by your presence.”

The Doctor smirked and tapped Ariel’s arm as he spotted a bit of lipstick on the soldier’s cheek. Ariel giggled and nodded in understanding. River Song was at work here.

The Doctor shuffled a bit and in amusement, decided to play along. “Well, you're only human,” he hummed. “Arise, Roman person.”

Ariel winced. “Should have just stuck with ‘arise’,” she muttered.

“Oh, hush,” the Doctor chuckled.

“Why does he think you’re Caesar and you’re Calpurnia?” Amy wondered, nodding to each of the couple in turn.

Before the pair could respond or explain, the soldier arose and interrupted them. 

“Cleopatra will see you now,” he announced and Ariel couldn’t hold back the snort of amusement that escaped her.

“Wait, does he mean-?” Amy began with a small frown.

“River,” Ariel nodded. “Come on. Might as well follow him and see ‘Cleopatra’,” she giggled as they began to trudge down the path in the woods behind the soldier.

“Hold on, why do I have to be Caesar?” The Doctor frowned. 

“How else is she supposed to get them to show you respect?” Ariel wondered with a small shrug. “It’s a Roman legion.”

“I know that, but still,” he sighed. “Could have been  _ anyone  _ else,” he mumbled.

Ariel just chuckled softly and shook her head. She held his hand tightly and rested her head on his arm as they followed the soldier the rest of the way to ‘Cleopatra’s’ tent.

Sure enough, they were met none other than River Song herself completing the façade with Egyptian clothing, a black wig, and dark eye makeup.

“Hello sweetie,” she beamed at the Doctor. “Hello, love.”

“River,” Ariel nodded in greeting. “You look good,” she remarked.

“As do you, my love,” River smiled. Her grin only grew wider when she spotted the ring on Ariel’s finger. “So, he finally proposed, did he?”

“Yep,” Ariel giggled. 

“Well, it took you long enough,” River sighed, getting up from her seat and placing her glass of wine on a nearby table. “Y’know sometimes I think he just likes to keep people waiting so he can arrive on his own time frame,” she moaned.

“You graffitied the oldest cliff face in the universe,” the Doctor hissed.

“You wouldn’t answer your phone,” River retorted, rolling her eyes, unfazed by the Doctor’s anger at his own presence. She waved the servants in the tent away and let the four of them have the tent to themselves.

As soon as it was just the four of them, she brought out a rolled up piece of paper and held it out to the Doctor. The Doctor didn’t accept it, but rather just narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously.

“What’s this?” He asked.

“It’s a painting,” River said simply.

The Doctor still seemed hesitant, but eventually conceded with a nod and snatched the painting from her hands. 

“Who painted it?” Ariel wondered as the Doctor rolled the painting out on a nearby table.

“Your friend Vincent,” River replied. “One of his final works. He had visions, didn't he? I thought you ought to know about this one.”

Ariel frowned and peered over the Doctor’s shoulder while his gaze remained fixed on the painting before him. 

Ariel was certain her heart had stopped beating in her chest at the sight of the painting before them, and she suddenly lost the ability to breathe. 

“Doctor?” Amy gasped. “Doctor, what is this?”

It was a version of Starry Night, with an exploding Tardis right in the center.

The Doctor eventually raised his head, but the expression he wore was grim. He pulled Ariel close to his chest and took a deep breath, needing to just feel her arms around him rather than think of what this meant for the fate of his Tardis and the future they were about to explore.

“This is it, isn’t it?” Ariel mumbled, pulling out of the hug momentarily to meet his brilliant green eyes, clouded over with distress. “The girl fated to destroy the universe. This is happening right now, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” the Doctor confessed. “Maybe, yes,” he nodded and Ariel sucked in a sharp breath.

She turned away from him and place her hand over her mouth, unable to keep her eyes from dilating in fear.

“What’s she talking about?” River frowned. “What’s going on?”

“She-She got a prophecy. A prophecy from Davros about who she was going to be,” the Doctor mumbled, raking his fingers through his hair as he kept his eyes fixated on the woman he loved. “The Master knew, Prisoner Zero knew. Everyone knew but me,” he snarled, unable to keep his aggression at the fact that everyone in the universe knew her fate  _ but  _ him.

“Well, those are hardly reliable sources,” River scoffed. “How can we know they’re telling the truth?”

“Because the Master came back from the dead and he still knew before me,” the Doctor snapped, turning away and messing up his hair as he fell back into one of the chairs in the room.

“But if this is Ariel, then why is the Tardis exploding?” Amy wondered.

“I assume it's some kind of warning,” River shrugged. 

“A warning about what?” Amy asked. “Ariel’s going to do something to the Tardis?” She guessed.

“It might not be that literal,” River shook her head. 

“Then what?” Ariel wondered. “What the hell is going to happen because it seems to me everyone knows but the pair of us,” she said, gesturing between herself and the Doctor.

“And why the hell are we waiting for the end in some bloody Roman legion?!” The Doctor cried. He wanted to be able to take action. To do something. To grab Ariel’s hand and run as fast and as far as he could without ever looking back.

“This is where he wanted you,” River explained, hardly fazed by the irritation of the couple while Amy winced against their rage. “Date and map reference on the door sign, see?” She said, holding up the map and gesturing to the broken door of the Tardis on the painting.

Ariel snatched the painting out of her hands and glowered at the Tardis. “Is there anything else we have to go off of?” She wondered, tossing the map back onto the table and shrugging helplessly.

“Prisoner Zero said I’d go so far to save your life,” the Doctor mumbled.

“Okay, so I’m fated to destroy the universe, something happens with you saving my life, and the Tardis explodes?” Ariel summarized with a frown. “What is that supposed to tell us?” She sighed, collapsing into the chair on the Doctor’s lap.

“Does it have a title?” He wondered, raising an eyebrow at River.

“The Pandorica Opens,” River nodded.

Ariel and the Doctor shared a wide eyed gaze.

“The Pandorica?” Ariel frowned. “Isn’t that-?”

“A fairytale,” the Doctor confirmed with a nod.

“But what is it?” Amy asked, shaking her head aimlessly at the trio.

“A box, a cage, a prison,” River listed. “It was built to contain the most feared things in all the universe.”

“And it's a fairy tale, a legend,” the Doctor scoffed, rolling his eyes at her. “It can't be real,” he insisted.

“If it is real, it's here and it's opening,” River warned.

The Doctor sighed softly and tapped Ariel’s back. She hopped up and he followed, grabbing a bunch of scrolls from a small basket beside their chair.

“And it's got something to do with you and your Tardis exploding,” River reminded them, nodding to Ariel and the Doctor. 

The Doctor laid the scrolls out on the table and began scouring the scrolls for a location that stood out.

“Hidden, obviously,” River sighed when she spotted their efforts. “Buried for centuries. You won't find it on a map.”

“No, but if you buried the most dangerous thing in the universe, you'd want to remember where you put it,” the Doctor hummed, smirked down at the maps.

Ariel narrowed her eyes at the scrolls and frowned at one of the locations marked out on the map by the soldiers. “Hold on,” she mumbled, leaning closer to the map. “If this place is marked, then people would know it, they just wouldn’t know what it was for or what it meant. If that’s the case then it’s got to be obvious where it is,” she shrugged.

Amy and River stared at her with small but curious frowns, not following her train of thought. Meanwhile, the Doctor just barked out a laugh and nodded. He jumped up and kissed her on the forehead. “Brilliant, you are!” He exclaimed. “Brilliant!”

Ariel giggled and shook her head. “You would have got it sooner or later, I just got you there quicker,” she shrugged.

“But every second is valuable,” he insisted. “Without you, we’d still be guessing.”

“Erm, I’m still guessing,” Amy reminded them, raising her hand as though she were in class.

“It wasn’t that big a deal,” Ariel giggled.

“You underestimate yourself,” the Doctor hummed. “Everything you accomplish is a huge deal,” he assured her. “Now then, I’ll get us some horses,” he said, nodding to the two other women. “It’s going to be a bit of a ride there.”

With that, he exited the tent and Ariel grinned down at the map as River followed her line of sight, the location beginning to sink in.

“Oh, of course!” River exclaimed with a gasp. “How did I not see that earlier?” She moaned.

“You only know what you’re looking for when you take the time to put it all together I suppose,” Ariel shrugged with a small smile.

“Er, I’m still confused.  _ Where _ are we going?” Amy asked.

“Stonehenge,” Ariel responded simply. “Think about it. Stonehenge is the perfect place to mark something and nobody really messes with it because it’s just a bunch of stones but nobody really knows what it means or what it’s there for. People would have to generally be able to know about it if it was hiding something as big as the Pandorica and thus Stonehenge,” she shrugged.

“And you worked that out in just a few seconds,” Amy frowned.

“Oh, once I saw where in England we were on the maps it was fairly obvious,” Ariel dismissed with a wave of her hands.

Before Amy could say anything more, the Doctor walked in, a large grin on his lips as they heard the soft sounds of several horses neighing beside him.

“Pick your horses!” He exclaimed. “I call the black one,” he smiled.

Ariel giggled and shook her head at the Doctor as they all headed out to mount their horses. She got a brown Clydesdale horse. The Doctor mounted a black Friesian horse, and River and Amy each got white Andalusian horses.

The four rode horseback, heading for Stonehenge, urging the horses to gallop as fast as possible. Ariel’s grip on her reins was so tight her knuckles had turned white.

When they arrived at Stonehenge, the Doctor was the first to hop off his horse. He quickly helped Ariel down while River helped Amy. He gripped her hand tight and dashed into the center of the monument. He glanced around quickly and began to sonic each of the stones laid out.

River pulled out her portable computer and began scanning as well while Amy stared around at the stones and frowned as she patted one by her side.

“How come it’s not new?” She wondered, staring at the worn down appearance gracing the monument.

“Because it’s already old,” River responded cooly. “It's been here thousands of years. No one knows exactly how long.”

“Hence why I figured it must be housing the Pandorica,” Ariel shrugged. “There are a lot of question marks surrounding Stonehenge.”

“Okay, this Pandorica thing. Last time we saw you, you warned us about it, after we climbed out of the Byzantium,” Amy reminded River and Ariel’s grew wide.

“Spoilers,” River warned, placing a finger to her lips. 

Amy didn’t understand and simply carried on talking. “No, but you told the Doctor and Ariel you'd see them again when the Pandorica opens,” she argued.

“Amy, her timeline is different from ours. Our past is her future. It hasn’t happened for her yet,” Ariel interjected, hoping to keep the redhead from spilling more spoilers to her girlfriend.

“Exactly,” River smiled, nodding to Ariel. Her smile fell and her attention was redirected toward her portable computer when a small buzz alerted her. “Doctor, I'm picking up fry particles everywhere,” she announced. “Energy weapons discharged on this site.”

“If the Pandorica is here, it contains the mightiest warriors in history,” the Doctor sighed. “Now, half the galaxy would want a piece of that. Maybe even fight over it. We need to get down there,” he murmured, staring down at the ground.

~~~

Night fell and Amy and Ariel were sitting on a nearby stone watching as the Doctor and River tried to move the rock that held readings off the charts on River’s portable computer. 

If the Pandorica was anywhere, it was beneath that rock.

“What do you think is down there?” Amy wondered.

“I dunno,” Ariel shrugged, not exactly indulging the redhead. 

“Oh, come on,” Amy moaned. “Have a little imagination. What do you think it could be?”

“You really wanna know?” Ariel smirked, turning to the ginger with a raised brow.

“Yeah,” Amy nodded furiously, now giddy with the very idea.

“Lord Voldemort,” Ariel quipped and turned back before she could burst into laughter at the very idea.

“Oh, you’re no fun,” Amy moaned.

“No, seriously,” Ariel insisted. “Lord Voldemort is a pretty scary guy and for all we know bits of his soul could be trapped in the Pandorica, just waiting for us to resurrect him,” she hummed.

“Now, that’s an eighth Harry Potter book I wouldn’t mind seeing,” Amy chuckled and the brunette barked out a laugh.

Just then, there was the loud sound of gravel shifting and the two women stood up to see River had gotten the rock to move revealing a dimly lit staircase leading downwards.

“The Underhenge,” the Doctor hummed, grabbing Ariel’s hand the second she got close to him and squeezing tightly.

The Doctor hardly let Ariel out of his sight since the painting had been revealed. She could tell he was growing just as anxious as she was and that nervous doubt was keeping the pair even closer than usual.

The Doctor took the lead heading down the steps, using his sonic as a flashlight and continue to hold onto Ariel tightly as they marched down with River and Amy bringing up the rear.

They headed into the passage and the Doctor lit two flaming torches with his screwdriver. He put his sonic away and held one while passing the other to Ariel.

They continued through the passage and eventually came across a large door that almost appeared medieval and had countless spiderwebs clinging to it.

The Doctor kicked away a wooden board blocking the door and he and Ariel each grabbed one side of the doors to push them open.

Once the doors were opened wide, the Doctor grabbed Ariel’s hand once again and they stepped forward into the chamber before them. It was enormous and appeared as though it had been standing for centuries, covered in spider webs just like the door.

At the very center of the room sat a large black cube towering over the four of them with circular designs carved into its sides. 

“It’s a Pandorica,” the Doctor breathed.

“It’s real,” Ariel gasped.

“More than just a fairytale,” River agreed with a nod.

The Doctor stepped forward and nearly tripped over a strange metallic object before Ariel caught him. They both looked down to see the device and their eyes grew wide as the spotted the severed Cyberman arm laying casually on the floor.

“It must have been here for centuries,” Ariel murmured.

“Yes, must have,” the Doctor breathed, his tone conveying his varying opinion.

“You think differently,” Ariel noticed with a small frown. “What, you think something killed the Cyberman and just left it here? What could have done that?”

“There was a goblin and a trickster, or two warriors,” the Doctor said, returning his focus to the Pandorica. “Some nameless, terrible things, soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies. The most feared beings in all the cosmos. And nothing could stop them, or hold them, or reason with them. One day they would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world. In fact, there used to be an old prophecy on Gallifrey about these creatures,” he hummed. “The Hybrid.”

“You think the hybrid is two people?” River frowned.

“Has to be,” the Doctor shrugged. “The most dangerous forces are not alone but together,” he said as he pulled Ariel along and sonicked the center of the patterns on the Pandorica.

“What did the prophecy say?” Ariel wondered.

“All matrix prophecies concurred, there was a creature, or creatures, destined to stand in the ruins of Gallifrey and watch as it fell. They would unravel the web of time and destroy a billion, billion hearts to heal their own,” he said, placing his ear against the Pandorica.

“How did they end up here?” Amy asked.

“You know fairy tales,” the Doctor sighed. “A good wizard tricked it,” he shrugged.

“I hate good wizards in fairy tales,” River moaned. “They always turn out to be him.”

Ariel laughed for a moment, but her face fell when she realized that pretty much described any fairytale the Doctor had ever told her.

“Oh, you’re right,” Ariel hummed and River chuckled and nodded.

“See?”

River stepped forward to continue scanning the box with her portable computer while the Doctor showed Ariel his readings and raised an eyebrow. She simply nodded and the pair moved to the other side of the box.

“So, it's kind of like Pandora's Box, then?” Amy remarked. “Almost the same name.”

“Oh, yeah,” Ariel realized with a small frown.

“Sorry, what?” The Doctor prompted, only focusing on the conversation when Ariel spoke.

“It’s a story in Greek mythology,” the brunette supplied.

“Pandora's Box, with all the worst things in the world in it,” Amy hummed, nodding along. “That was my favourite book when I was a kid,” she smiled, but faltered when the Doctor stopped scanning and looked up at her with large eyes. “What's wrong?”

“Your favourite school topic. Your favourite story,” the Doctor pointed out and Ariel’s eyes grew wide. “Never ignore a coincidence,” he instructed with a stern wave of his hand, but that quickly dropped as he turned back to the Pandorica and carried on scanning as though nothing had ever happened. “Unless you're busy. In which case, always ignore a coincidence,” he sighed.

“So can you open it?” River wondered.

“Easily,” the Doctor shrugged. “Anyone can break into a prison. But I'd rather know what I'm going to find first,” he said, subconsciously tightening his grip on Ariel’s hand as he spoke.

River placed her portable computer on the side of the Pandorica and her face grew grim. “You won't have long to wait. It's already opening. There are layers and layers of security protocols in there, and they're being disabled one by one. Like it's being unlocked from the inside,” she mumbled, pressing her ear against the box as though to confirm the readings right in front of her.

Ariel’s eyes widened and she stepped back as she watched the Pandorica, now suddenly cautious of standing so close to it.

The Doctor caught her wariness and turned to River with a frown.

“How long do we have?” He asked.

“Hours at the most,” River sighed.

“What kind of security?” The Doctor wondered.

“Everything. Deadlocks, time stops, matter lines,” River listed, her eyes wide as she stared at her portable computer.

“What could need all that?” The Doctor wondered, staring at the Pandorica with a small frown.

“That’s not the question we need to be asking,” Ariel murmured, shaking her head at the Doctor.

“What could get past all that?” River asked and Ariel nodded.

“That’s the one,” Ariel hummed.

“Think of the fear that went into making this box,” the Doctor sighed. “What could inspire that level of fear?” He wondered. “Hello, you,” he whispered to the box. “Have we met?”

“Hold on, this thing has been dormant for what looks like centuries,” Ariel reminded them. “Nothing has touched this box. Nothing has gotten inside.”

“So why would it start to open now?” River asked and Ariel clicked her fingers and pointed to River with a firm nod as the woman finished her thought process for her.

“No idea,” the Doctor shrugged, shaking his head aimlessly at the women before continuing to stare at the Pandorica as though it were a puzzle he just couldn’t quite solve.

“Ahem,” Amy cleared her throat, reminding them of her presence. Whenever the three of them were together, Amy was rarely noticed. She didn’t think much of it considering they three were all dating and she was technically the fourth wheel in this scenario, but it did make it fairly difficult to get her questions answered.  “And how could Vincent have known about it? He won't even be born for centuries,” she reasoned.

The Doctor and Ariel shared a frown. 

“Could this placement be more than coincidence?” Ariel mumbled. “More than a good spot to remember where it was placed?”

“In my experience, there’s hardly ever a coincidence that pans out,” the Doctor nodded. “ The stones. These stones are great big transmitters, broadcasting a warning to everyone, everywhere, to every time zone. The Pandorica is opening.”

River and Ariel shared a wide-eyed gaze, spotting the second meaning in his words where the Doctor had missed it.

“Doctor, everyone everywhere?” River echoed.

“Even poor Vincent heard it, in his dreams,” the Doctor sighed, turning back to the Pandorica and not noticing the paled faces of the two women. “But what's in there? What could justify all this?” He wondered with a shrug.

“Doctor, everyone?” River repeated when he didn’t respond the first time.

“Anything that powerful, I'd know about it,” the Doctor insisted. “Why don't I know?” He muttered, slapping his palms against the box.

River turned to Ariel with wide eyes as she pulled out her portable computer once again and nodded to the Doctor. Usually, when she had difficulty getting through to the Doctor, the brunette could get by in moments. 

“Doctor, you said everyone could hear it,” Ariel reminded him, walking up to his side and grabbing his hand. She stared up at him, he face completely drained of color. “So, who else is coming?” She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The Doctor’s face fell as he realized what the two women had been getting at. “Oh,” he breathed.

Ariel and River shared a look. They knew what that meant. The Doctor was too filled with worry and anxiety to give them any specifics, but at his very reaction they knew they knew they need to be concerned. Anything and everything could be right outside the planet just waiting to attack.

“Oh?!” Amy exclaimed, not getting the collective penney that had just dropped. “Oh, what?!”

“We need to figure out who might be out there  _ now _ ,” Ariel murmured, too filled with horror to dish out a proper explanation for the redhead.

“Okay,” River nodded. “If it is basically a transmitter, we should be able to fold back the signal.”

“Doing it!” The Doctor announced, running to a wall and sonicking it.

“Doing what?” Amy moaned, exhausted with being left out of the loop.

“Stonehenge is transmitting, like a huge beacon bringing everyone in the universe to this spot. It’s telling them that whatever is hiding inside that box is coming out to greet the world,” Ariel explained quickly.

“It’s been transmitting a while,” River nodded. “Question is, who all heard it?”

“Okay, should be feeding back to you now,” the Doctor announced, heading back over to the women and wrapping his arm around Ariel, guiding her back to the wall he had been sonicking. “River, what's out there?” He called over his shoulder.

“Give me a moment,” River mumbled as she tapped around on the portable computer.

“River, quickly,” the Doctor snapped and both River and Ariel rolled their eyes. 

“Patience,” Ariel hummed and the Doctor groaned, not holding an ounce of patience in his body. 

Ariel knew this and simply giggled, shaking her head at the man she loved. He was like a small child, always unable to wait for more than five minutes.

“How you put up with him sometimes,” River sighed to Ariel, simply shaking her head at the brunette.

“Ah, I find it adorable,” Ariel shrugged. “He’s like a big impatient kid,” she smiled as she wrapped her arms around the Doctor’s back.

His frustration fell away and he smiled softly as he patted her hands gently before turning her around and hugging her properly and tighter than he ever had. He placed his chin on the top of her head and raised an eyebrow at River, his tone much more gentle when he spoke.

“Anything?” He prompted.

River smiled at the pair, endlessly grateful for the presence of the brunette. However, when she turned to look back at her portable computer, her face fell. 

“Around this planet there are at least,” she hesitated, glancing back at the pair who simply raised their brows at her awaiting an answer. “Ten thousand starships,” she mumbled and Ariel blanched.

“At least?” Amy scoffed, unsure of how that could ever bode well.

“Ten thousand, a hundred thousand, a million, I don't know,” River moaned. “There's too many readings,” she sighed as she tried to keep up with all the information her computer spat out at her.

“What kind of starships?” The Doctor gasped, staring up at the ceiling as though he were preparing for a fight.

Before River could even attempt to answer his question, a familiar robotic voice echoed through the chamber that made Ariel want to cry in terror.

“Maintaining orbit,” a Dalek voice announced.

“No,” Ariel breathed, shaking her head furiously at the sound. Her face was so white, River was worried she might faint.

“I obey. Shield cover compromised on ion sectors,” another Dalek voice replied to the first.

“Daleks,” Amy breathed, not quite believing the voices herself as her eyes moved over to the couple currently holding hands so tightly both their knuckles were white. “Those are Daleks.”

The Daleks carried on talking and Ariel didn’t want to let go of the Doctor’s hand for a second. Through all she had faced with the Doctor, the Daleks were still her worst fear. They had killed her mother and while some races were able to be reasoned with or even saved, the only way to survive the Daleks was getting the hell out of dodge or destroying them before they got the chance to destroy you and with thousands of ships maintaining orbit neither option seemed viable.

“Daleks, Doctor,” River gasped. 

“We need a plan,” Ariel murmured. “Preferably a quick one.”

“Yes,” the Doctor gulped, shaking away the shock and taking a deep breath so he could think. “Okay, okay, okay, okay. Dalek fleet, minimum twelve thousand battleships, armed to the teeth. Ah! But we've got surprise on our side. They'll never expect four people to attack twelve thousand Dalek battleships. Because we'd be killed instantly. So it would be a fairly short surprise. Forget surprise,” he sighed.

Just then another robotic voice spoke out, a different speech pattern from the Daleks but equally terrifying to Ariel.

“Course correction proceeding,” a Cyberman announced.

“Doctor, Cyberships,” River announced, getting the readings of the new ships having entered the atmosphere as well on her portable computer.

“No, no, come on,” Ariel moaned.

“Those are Dalek ships,” the Doctor reasoned with a small frown, not having heard the second voice. “Listen to them.”

“I heard the Cybermen too,” Ariel nodded.

“Yes,” River agreed with a nod. “Dalek ships  _ and  _ Cyberships.”

“How do we take on both of them?” Ariel wondered helplessly.

“Well, we need to start a fight, turn them on each other,” the Doctor shrugged. “I mean, that's easy. It's the Daleks. They're so cross.”

“Sontaran,” River announced as the battle cry of the Sontarans echoed through the chamber. “Four battlefleets.”

“Seriously?!” Ariel exclaimed, her heart pounding in her ears with pure terror. They were already helpless and yet Ariel had a feeling River wasn’t done reading. The races that killed her best friend and her mother were right outside that chamber and they were only just beginning.

“Sontarans!” The Doctor cried, trying to put a smile on Ariel’s face in the midst of pure and utter defeat. “Talk about cross, who stole all their handbags?” He quipped and for a mere flash of a second, Ariel grinned.

“Terileptil. Slitheen, Chelonian, Nestene, Drahvin,” River listed, their minds all reeling with how much they would be put to face. “Sycorax, Haemogoth, Zygon, Atraxi, Draconian,” she said. “They're all here for the Pandorica,” she gasped.

All eyes fell on the large black prison box at the center of the room, a single question circling each of their minds as they stared at it.

“What are you?” The Doctor breathed. “What could you possibly be?” He placed a gentle hand on the Pandorica before taking a deep breath and stepping away with large eyes.

He grabbed Ariel’s hand and the pair bolted out of the chamber and up the steps to see the hundreds of thousands of ships brightening up the night sky whizzing about furiously. 

Ariel stared up with large eyes. They had never faced anything on this scale before. Not even close. She knew most of the species up there from personal confrontation, save for the; Chelonian, Drahvin, Haemogoth, and Draconian, but if the others were any measurement of how powerful they may be she knew perfectly well to be more than afraid.

However, as she gazed into the Doctor’s eyes, she found a certain resolve set forth by the sight of the ships. It was a rare occasion when she saw his true terror and a flicker of it had passed across his face in the chamber, but as he stared up at the ships there was no fear in his eyes.

“What do we do?” Amy whispered in terror. 

“Are we going to fight?” Ariel murmured. 

“You bet,” the Doctor said, smiling softly down at her. He wrapped his arm around her and with a sigh, pulled her close to his chest.

“Doctor, Ariel, listen to me,” River pleaded. “Everything that ever hated you, both of you, is coming here tonight. Neither of you can win this. You can't even fight it,” she insisted. “This once, just this one time, please, you have to run,” she begged.

“Run where?!” The Doctor exclaimed, tossing his hands helplessly in the air.

“Fight how?!” River retorted.

The Doctor frowned as he spotted movement in the distance. He pulled out a pair of binoculars from his coat and used them to see what it was.

He smiled at the sight and passed the binoculars to Ariel so she could see for herself. “The greatest military machine in the history of the universe,” the Doctor hummed.

“What is?” Amy asked. “The Daleks?”

“No. No, no, no, no, no,” the Doctor shook his head as though the very idea was ridiculous. “The Romans,” he smiled.

“If this works, and that’s a very big if, we might just be able to get out of this,” Ariel said, grinning as she passed the binoculars back to the Doctor.

“It’ll work,” the Doctor assured her with a nod, casting his gaze back to the field where the Roman camp laid momentarily. “It has to.”

~~~

About half an hour later, River had left to try and convince the Roman legion to help them against the aliens currently swarming the skies above them.

Ariel sat on a stone in boredom while the Doctor continued to circle the Pandorica, examining every feature intently as though one small pattern on its sides might give them a clue who was inside.

“So what's this got to do with the Tardis and Ariel?” Amy wondered.

“Nothing, as far as I know,” the Doctor said glancing over his shoulder and raising an eyebrow at Ariel.

She raised her hands in surrender. “I’m just as in the dark as you are,” she insisted. “Plus, you know I’m rubbish at lying when it comes to you. If I knew anything I would have told you already.”

“Fair point,” the Doctor agreed with a smile.

“But Vincent's painting. The Tardis was exploding. Is that going to happen?” Amy wondered. “And Ariel, are you really going to destroy the universe?”

“One problem at a time,” the Doctor requested, holding up a finger to silence the redhead. “There's force field technology inside this box. If I can enhance the signal, I could extend it all over Stonehenge. Could buy us half an hour,” he shrugged.

“Brilliant,” Ariel grinned.

“What good is half an hour?” Amy wondered with a small frown. 

“Oh, half an hour is a lifetime,” Ariel sighed. “Especially when you consider what’s outside,” she chuckled.

“There are fruit flies live on Hoppledom Six that live for twenty minutes and they don't even mate for life,” the Doctor nodded, but frowned when he lost the point to him saying that and just found Amy watching him oddly at the little bit of trivia he dropped.

“My point exactly,” Ariel smiled. “Half an hour is quite literally a lifetime for them.”

The Doctor grinned as she got up and headed to the front of the chamber to light some torches for when River got back. He was always grateful for her presence. She gave meaning to all the pointless little rambles he lost track of. 

He sighed and carried on scanning the Pandorica while Amy walked up with a curious frown and pulled a small box out of her pocket. 

“Are you trading in the ring you got for Ariel, or something?” Amy guessed with a small frown as she stared down at the velvet red box in her hands.

“I’m sorry?” The Doctor prompted, raising an eyebrow but not bothering to look away from the matter at hand. Whenever he was busy, he usually never looked away unless he was being told something important or Ariel was talking to him which were usually one in the same to him whenever the brunette engaged him in conversation.

Every little word she spoke the Doctor clung onto and buried deep in his memories because he knew one day all that would be left for him to grasp of her was memories and as much as he dreaded when that day would come, he knew he had to cling onto every second he got.

“I found this in your pocket,” Amy said and begrudgingly the Doctor looked away, only to have his eyes widen at the sight of Rory’s ring.

“No,” the Doctor shook his head furiously. “No, no, that's er, a memory. A friend of mine. Someone I lost. Do you mind?” He prompted, holding out his hand for the ring.

However, Amy held onto it, frowning at the small box as though it might tell her something she had forgotten ages ago. “It's weird,” Amy mumbled. “I feel, I don't know, something.”

The Doctor watched her warily, narrowing his eyes at Amy as she continued to stare at the ring.

“People fall out of the world sometimes, but they always leave traces. Little things we can't quite account for. Faces in photographs, luggage, half eaten meals, rings. Nothing is ever forgotten, not completely. And if something can be remembered, it can come back,” the Doctor assured her with a nod.

Amy clutched the box tightly and for a moment it seemed as though she might succumb to this memory before she snapped the box shut tightly and passed it back to the Doctor with a vacant smile. “So, was she nice, your friend?”

The Doctor sighed softly and just nodded as he put the ring back in his suit and moved to continue examining the Pandorica once more. He paused for a moment and frowned as he glanced at Amy. 

“Remember that night you flew away with me?” The Doctor asked, raising a brow at the redhead.

Amy sighed softly and nodded. “Of course I do.”

“And you asked Ariel and I why we were taking you and we both told you there wasn't a reason,” the Doctor reminded her with a nod. “We were lying.”

“What, both of you?” Amy frowned.

The Doctor nodded. “I told Ariel to lie if you did ever ask her while you two were alone together.”

“So, you did have a reason?”

“Your house,” the Doctor replied.

“My house?” Amy frowned, unsure of where she lived would be a reason for the Doctor to take her to see all of time and space.

“It was too big,” the Doctor replied. “Too many empty rooms. Does it ever bother you, Amy, that your life doesn't make any sense?”

Meanwhile, Ariel finished lighting the torches and peered out the door with a small frown. River should be heading back then. At least, that was what she hoped.

She didn’t want to allow the panic to set in and the true fear of what they could be facing to come to light. 

She had no idea what fate was awaiting her and she certainly didn’t want to find out. There was an awful foreboding sinking into her veins like the feeling she had just before she met the Master or when she had to tell the Doctor her two darkest secrets. 

Something awful was coming and while she wasn’t certain if it had anything to do with what was in the Pandorica or Vincent’s painting, she knew it would not end pretty.

All she had left to hope for was the same wish she held every time they went out on one of their journeys: that they would all make it out of this alive.

Just then, she tripped over the Cyberman arm and slid right off her feet onto her back.

“Ow,” she moaned and rubbed the back of her head. She started to sit up when the Cyberarm fired a shot right at her.

She screamed and she heard Amy and the Doctor cry out as well as she scrambled backwards away from the arm.

“Ariel!” The Doctor yelled. 

“Doctor!” Ariel shrieked, bolting backwards to him.

He and Amy ducked behind the Pandorica for cover and he grabbed both her arms and pulled her back to them just as the Cyberarm fired off a shot and just narrowly missed her.

“What was that?!” Amy cried. 

“I think it was the Cyberman arm,” Ariel murmured. “But I thought that thing was dormant. It looked like it had been here for centuries,” she reasoned. “So, how can it be active?”

“I need a proper look,” the Doctor nodded. “Got to draw its fire, give it a target.”

“How?” Amy wondered with a small frown.

The Doctor winced and glanced down at Ariel, already knowing the brunette would not like his idea at all. “You know how sometimes I have really brilliant ideas?” He muttered.

Ariel’s eyes widened as she followed his train of thought. “No, no, absolutely not. You can’t!” She exclaimed.

“Sorry,” the Doctor sighed. He gave her hand a firm squeeze before jumping out from behind the Pandorica right into the line of fire. “Look at me, I’m a target!” He cried.

Just as he was fired at, the Doctor ducked behind a stone pillar before any of the shots could actually hit him and Ariel breathed a soft sigh of relief.

Amy attempted to peer out from behind the Pandorica, but just got a shot fired at her head before she could get a proper look.

“What is that?!” Amy yelled.

“Ariel was right,” the Doctor nodded. “It’s a Cyberman, or rather the arm of a Cyberman.”

“And what’s a Cyberman?” Amy moaned.

“Oh, sort of part man, part robot,” the Doctor replied airily. “The organic part must have died out years ago. Now the robot part is looking for, well, fresh meat,” the Doctor shrugged, sighing softly.

“What, us?!” Amy exclaimed.

“Sort of, yeah,” Ariel winced.

“It's just like being an organ donor, except you're alive and sort of screaming,” the Doctor murmured. “I need to get round behind it. Amy, Ariel, could you draw its fire?” He requested.

“What, like you did?” Amy scoffed, not exactly enjoying the idea.

“How long?” Ariel asked. She knew the Doctor wouldn’t toss them face first into a scenario they would be sure to lose unless it was absolutely necessary, so no matter what happened she was never worried when the Doctor asked her to do something dangerous.

“Ariel!” Amy shrieked, furious that the redhead was actually indulging the Doctor.

“You'll be fine if you're quick,” the Doctor assured them with a nod. “It's only got one arm, literally,” he chuckled softly.

“Alright,” Ariel nodded. “Come on, Amy,” she said, grabbing the hand of the ginger and guiding her to the opposing side of the Pandorica. Ariel took a deep breath, pausing for a moment at the open gap between the Pandorica and a stone pillar where the Cyberman could easily shoot them stone dead. “Ready?” She prompted, raising an eyebrow at Amy.

“Nope,” Amy said honestly.

Ariel snorted and turned back to the open gap. “Okay,” she nodded. 

The two women bolted out, screaming loudly to draw the attention of the arm while the Doctor darted out from behind his stone pillar and ran up behind the arm.

“Come here!” The Doctor cried as he pounced on the arm and pulled out his sonic.

Lily and Amy each poked their heads out, watching the Doctor warily.

“Doctor?” Amy called out. She began tiptoeing out as the arm stopped shooting while Ariel remained behind the stone pillar, knowing the Cybermen too well to trust the arm even if it wasn’t shooting.

“Scrambled its circuits, but stay where you are, it could be bluffing,” the Doctor warned, holding up a hand to stop the redhead when he saw her inching her way closer to him and the arm.

“Bluffing?” Amy scoffed, continuing to walk up to the Doctor. “It's an arm.”

“An arm that was shooting at us without a head or even a body,” Ariel reminded her.

“I said stay where you are!” The Doctor snapped and Amy rolled her eyes but obeyed and stepped back behind the stone pillar beside Ariel.

“If that’s just the arm, does that mean wherever the rest of the body is it’s active too?” Ariel wondered.

“Possibly,” the Doctor nodded. “But I didn’t see the rest of the body so we might be in the clear on this one.”

“Is it okay?” Ariel asked, raising an eyebrow at the Doctor.

“I think so,” the Doctor nodded. “It’s still sending out signals but that’s probably to the body like you said,” he sighed as he stood up and held the arm. “It’s still a risk but I’ve disabled the weapons systems so the arm can’t-.”

Before he could finish his sentence, the Cyberarm gave the Doctor an electric shock and knocked him out.

“Doctor!” Ariel shrieked and ran to his side. She knelt down before him and placed her ear to his chest to ensure both of his hearts were still beating. Once she found them pounding out an erratic beat, she checked to ensure he was still breathing.

“Is he okay?” Amy asked.

“Still breathing,” Ariel nodded. “I think the arm was just-,” she began.

“Ariel!” Amy screamed and Ariel turned with large eyes to see some wire cord wrapping around Amy’s feet.

“Amy!” Ariel yelled. She pulled the arm off the Doctor so it couldn’t shock him again when he came to, but that just gave it the chance to shock her.

Ariel cried out as the arm shocked her and the last thing she saw before the world faded to black was Amy Pond being dragged away by the cords pulling Amy to the floor and dragging her away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the Hybrid was not the most popular storyline in Doctor Who seasons. Hell, if I'm honest I was pretty upset with the Doctor when he brought Clara back from the dead. I understand it was necessary to the plotline of the Hybrid and I love Clara, but it felt like he just robbed her of that death.
> 
> I'm hoping to do the Hybrid justice by granting it a better storyline here.


	25. Rory the Roman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went a bit mad with the writing for future chapters, so you get to have this chapter a day earlier than I planned to release it!

Ariel came to surrounded by Romans. “Oh, blimey,” she groaned as she sat up and rubbed her head.

“Take it steady, ma’am,” one of the Romans instructed as he helped her to her feet.

“Where’s the Doctor?” Ariel wondered, glancing around at the three Romans marching through the chamber.

“Down there, but-,” the Roman began, unable to finish his sentence as Ariel bolted off in that very direction. “He asked me to look after you,” the Roman mumbled, his words now falling on absent ears.

Ariel ran out the doors and found the Doctor and two other Romans along with Amy passed out on a stone slab. In the door, the Cyberman that had undoubtedly been attacking Amy while she and the Doctor were unconscious was impaled on a steel sword.

“Oh, Amy, I’m so sorry,” Ariel sighed, walking over beside the redhead and brushing her hair out of her face.

“She’s fine, Ariel,” a familiar voice assured her. “Just unconscious.”

“Yes, she's sedated, that's all. Half an hour, she'll be fine,” the Doctor promised with a nod. “I thought I told that Roman to keep an eye out for you?” He frowned.

“I wasn’t just going to leave you two,” Ariel sighed. “Last I saw Amy was being dragged off by what I assume was that Cyberman,” she said, gesturing to the Cyberman on the door.

“That doesn’t mean you need to come running in here all willy nilly,” the Doctor moaned. “You hit your head on a bit of stone when you were shocked,” he told her, walking up behind her and rubbing a small bump on the back of her head. “What could you have possibly been thinking picking up that arm after it shocked me?”

“I wanted to make sure you weren’t going to get shocked again,” Ariel shrugged nonchalantly as the Doctor sonicked her injury.

“Well, thank you, but I had it sorted,” he assured her.

“No, actually, I think the Romans had it sorted,” Ariel corrected and a Roman to her left snorted at her remark.

The Doctor chuckled softly and shook his head. “Half an hour, that bump should be gone,” he promised.

“Brilliant,” Ariel said, smiling thinly as she rubbed the back of her head.

“Okay, Romans,” the Doctor sighed, clapping his hands together at the sight of the two men. “Good. I was just wishing for Romans. Good old River. How many?” He wondered.

The Roman to the left opened his mouth as though he wanted to say something but quickly closed it. “Fifty men up top, volunteers,” he answered. “What about that thing?” He wondered, gesturing to the Cyberman with a wave of his hand.

“Oh, I reckon you took care of that one, mate,” Ariel chuckled. She hadn’t looked up to see the Roman yet, still keeping her focus on the unconscious Amy, though his voice sounded oddly familiar.

“Fifty?” The Doctor scoffed. “You're not exactly a legion.”

“Hardly what we saw back at…,” she trailed off and her eyes widened as she looked up and laid eyes upon none other than Rory Williams. “Blimey,”Ariel breathed and Rory smiled.

“Hello,” he waved.

“Rory!” Ariel exclaimed. She ran up to him and jumped into a tight hug. “Oh, you have no idea how good it is to see you,” she sighed. 

“I could say the same,” Rory chuckled.

“If you two are done, we need everything we can get,” the Doctor told them, pulling two large guns out of a crate. “Okay, Cyberweapons. This is basically a sentry box, so headless wonder here was a sentry. Probably got himself duffed up by the locals. Never underestimate a Celt,” he smiled.

“Er, Doctor?” Rory prompted, raising an eyebrow at the man who still had not seemed to notice his presence while Ariel just giggled and shook her head.

“Hush, Rory. Thinking,” the Doctor sighed. “Why leave a Cyberman on guard, unless it's a Cyberthing in the box. But why would they lock up one of their own? Okay, no, not a Cyberthing, but what? What? No, I'm missing something obvious, Rory. Something big. Something right slap in front of me. I can feel it,” he frowned.

Ariel snorted and shook her head at the Doctor. “Yeah, I think you probably are,” she shrugged.

“I’ll get it in a minute,” the Doctor dismissed with a wave of his hand. He marched back into the Pandorica chamber and Ariel and Rory shared an amused grin.

“Five, four, three, two,” Ariel counted down before pointing towards the Pandorica chamber just as the loud crash of weapons being dropped echoed on the stone floors. 

Ariel laughed and the Doctor marched back inside, greeting Rory with large eyes and a pale face. He walked up slowly and prodded Rory on the chest making the Centurious sway back onto his heels as though making sure he was real.

“Hello, again,” the Doctor murmured, a curious frown gracing his lips.

“Hello,” Rory muttered.

An awkward silence fell and Ariel raised her brows at both the men, unsure of how they wanted to proceed.

“How’ve you been?” The Doctor asked. 

“Good. Yeah,” Rory nodded. “Good. I mean, Roman,” he shrugged.

“That’s good, that’s good,” Ariel hummed.

“Rory, I'm not trying to be rude, but you died,” the Doctor reminded him with a small frown.

“Yeah, I know,” Rory replied flatly. “I was there.”

“You died and then you were erased from time,” the Doctor nodded. “You didn't just die, you were never born at all. You never existed.”

“Erased?” Rory frowned and Ariel’s eyes inflated.

“Doctor!” Ariel hissed, upset that he brought up something Rory did not know and likely did not want to hear when he was just being reunited with his fiancée.

“Wh-What does that mean?” Rory stammered.

The Doctor caught the daggers in Ariel’s eyes and nodded. “Right. Never mind that. How can you be here?” He wondered with a shake of his head.

“I don't know,” Rory admitted with a shake of his head. “It's kind of fuzzy,” he said, rubbing his forehead with a small frown.

“Fuzzy?” The Doctor repeated, his tone as curious as Rory’s.

“Well, I died and turned into a Roman,” Rory pointed out and Ariel snorted at the truth in his words. “It's very distracting,” he sighed. He stepped up to Amy and with a soft smile, brushed her hair out of her face and delicately held her head. “Did she miss me?” 

Ariel and the Doctor shared a wary look, both knowing they would have to tell Rory the truth about just what his erasure from the universe meant for the memory of his fiancée.

Luckily, they were saved by the room shaking as though there was an earthquake. 

They ran back into the Pandorica chamber and found that while they may be lucky to have avoided telling Rory the complete truth, they were not at all out of the woods. 

The patterns on the sides of the Pandorica were glowing bright green and moving, clanking as the cogs began to turn and unlock ready to unveil whatever was inside.

“That’s not good,” Ariel breathed.

“What is it? What's happening?” Rory asked, looking between the couple with a small frown.

“The final phase. It's opening,” the Doctor murmured, pulling out his sonic and racing to scan the Pandorica.

“Why do I get the feeling that isn’t a good thing?” Rory muttered.

“There’s something in there,” Ariel sighed. “Something that all those ships up there want to get and something that might be able to destroy us all if it escapes.”

“Well, that is  _ really _ not a good thing,” Rory said, his eyes wide as he stared at the Pandorica.

“Yes, but never mind that. If the Pandorica is in its final phases that means the ships outside will get antsy. Can you go out there and check to make sure none of them have landed?” She requested.

“Yeah, but do you know how long we’ve got until that thing actually opens?” Rory wondered, gesturing to the Pandorica with a small frown.

“Not sure,” Ariel confessed with a shake of her head. “During the first few scans, the Doctor and River made it out to be a few hours till it actually opens so we may have an hour or half left.”

“Great,” Rory muttered, his tone obviously conveying the situation they stood in was in fact the complete opposite of ‘great’.

“I know,” Ariel nodded. “Now, go upstairs. We’ll stay here and try to figure out how to keep from being killed the second that thing opens.”

Rory nodded and waved for a few of the Romans to follow him before running out of the chamber and back up to Stonehenge.

Ariel made to walk up to the Doctor’s side and offer any help she could, but before she could get to him, her phone began ringing.

She pulled it out with a frown and glanced at the caller ID.  _ River. _

“Doctor!” Ariel called. She walked up to his side and held up her phone so he could see who was calling. She answered and immediately placed River on speaker.

“I can’t get in,” River announced. “There’s too many ships swerving down. It’s too risky.”

“That’s alright,” the Doctor nodded. “Just get to the Tardis. If you can bring her here we can have extra equipment to deal with the Pandorica and you could get a clean arrival.”

“The Pandorica is in its final phases,” Ariel informed her. “We need all the help we can get.”

“Alright, but you're surrounded,” River reminded them. “Have either of you got a plan?”

Ariel glanced at the Doctor and raised an eyebrow. She didn’t have a plan and when she didn’t, that usually meant he did.

“Yes,” the Doctor replied impatiently as he sighed and nodded to Ariel. “Now hurry up and get the Tardis here. I need equipment!” He cried into the phone. 

Ariel could practically feel River rolling her eyes through the phone and Ariel chuckled as she hung up the phone.

“What are you?” The Doctor murmured, delicately brushing his hands over the turning cogs of the Pandorica. “They're all here, all of them, all for you. What could you possibly be?” He wondered.

“Have you really got a plan?” Ariel asked, narrowing her eyes at the Doctor.

“Sort of,” the Doctor shrugged. “It’s like a plan but less foolproof.”

“Sounds like all your other plans,” Ariel remarked with a small smile. 

“Oi!” The Doctor exclaimed, an amused grin on his face as he turned and pressed a quick kiss to Ariel’s forehead. He looked up as the sounds of ships flying through the air grew closer and louder. “Can you grab River’s portable computer?” He requested, gesturing to the small device left behind on one of the stones.

“Sure,” Ariel nodded and passed the device to him. “Are you gonna let me in on the plan or is it something I wouldn’t approve of?”

“Likely the ladder but I’ll tell you anyway,” the Doctor nodded as he switched the computer into a loud speaker. He began marched out of the chamber with Ariel following closely behind. “Remember how I got the Atraxi to leave Earth?”

“Yeah,” Ariel nodded. “Why?”

“I was thinking I’d try something similar here,” the Doctor sighed. 

“What, so you’re going to use the computer to just talk to all those ships. Are you sure that’s going to work on a scale this big?” Ariel frowned.

“I said it wasn’t foolproof,” the Doctor reminded her with a smile. He seemed incredibly brave and dashing when he smiled at her, but that quickly faded away into the large child she knew and loved when he tripped and fell, dropping the computer when he approached the first step leading up to Stonehenge. 

Ariel giggled and helped him to his feet as he scrambled for the portable computer. “Sorry, sorry, dropped it,” he mumbled. His eyes widened as he realized the computer would have picked that up. He took a deep breath and snatched the computer off the ground. He marched up the steps and began his rant to the ships before he was even visible to them. “Hello, Stonehenge!” He cried. “Who takes the Pandorica, takes the universe. But bad news, everyone,” he sighed.

He grabbed Ariel’s hand and the pair of them ran up the final steps into Stonehenge and the Doctor pulled her up onto the altar stone at the center of it all.

“Because guess who? Ha!” He laughed. “Listen, you lot, you're all whizzing about. It's really very distracting. Could you all just stay still a minute because I am talking!” He roared and one by one the ships not only listened, but fell still at his request.

Ariel’s eyes grew wide and she looked up at the Doctor in awe. The amount of power and nerve he had under duress would never fail to amaze her. He was so incredible and so beautiful, she never got tired of looking at him especially not in moments like these when he managed to take her breath away.

“The question of the hour is, who's got the Pandorica? Answer, we do,” he nodded. “Next question. Who's coming to take it from us?” He asked and stretched out his arms, egging the ships on and practically begging them to try and land and steal the Pandorica from them. “Come on!” He cried. “Look at me. No plan, no backup, no weapons worth a damn. Oh, and something else. I don't have anything to lose!” He yelled.  “So, if you're sitting up there in your silly little spaceship, with all your silly little guns, and you've got any plans on taking the Pandorica tonight, just remember who's standing in your way. Remember every black day I ever stopped you, and then, and then, do the smart thing. Let somebody else try first,” he hummed.

Ariel beamed up at him, unable to find words that expressed the pure wonder she felt when gazing at that man.

The spaceships paused for a moment as though they were all actually thinking over the times the Doctor had stopped them. When their decisions were made, one by one the ships repeated and Ariel could help the laugh of pure shock that escaped her.

The Doctor grinned and tossed the portable computer in the grass before turning to Ariel and kissing her roughly. 

He pulled away and hopped down from the altar stone, leaving Ariel completely speechless as he smiled at Rory and the other Romans.

“That'll keep them squabbling for half an hour,” the Doctor shrugged. He turned to make his way back to the Pandorica chamber before pausing for a moment and looking over the legion. “Romans,” he sighed, shaking his head and marching back down the steps.

“Ariel, you coming?!” The Doctor called.

Ariel grinned and jumped off the altar stone before running to join him. Rory passed one last glance over at the Romans before darting after them and joining them as well.

The Doctor and Ariel walked up to the Pandorica and began scanning once again, standing about as close as two people could physically be when Rory walked in.

“They're still out there,” Rory reminded the couple. “What do we do now?” He wondered.

“Dunno,” Ariel confessed with a shrug. “But at least now we only have one problem to focus on rather their bloody ships whizzing about,” she mumbled.

“If we can stop whatever's in this box getting out, then they'll go home,” the Doctor shrugged.

“Right,” Rory nodded.

The Doctor’s eyes widened as he spotted movement just outside the chamber. He bumped Ariel’s shoulder and nodded to the movement and she winced when she spotted Amy marching inside. 

This wasn’t going to be pretty.

“Rory, I'm sorry,” the Doctor sighed, hanging his head at the sight. “You're going to have to be very brave now,” he instructed.

Rory’s eyes widened and he frowned as he turned to follow their line of sight only to watch as Amy walked right past them and straight to Ariel and the Doctor without even acknowledging his presence.

“Oh, my head,” Amy groaned and the Doctor held her in place to try and inspect her eyes to ensure she wasn’t concussed.

“Sorry, I left you back there,” Ariel murmured. 

“It’s alright,” Amy assured her with a shake of her head. “You got all shocky,” she chuckled and Ariel smiled and nodded.

“Ah,” the Doctor instructed, opening his mouth so Amy could follow.

“Ah,” Amy repeated, doing as he said. 

“Just your basic knockout drops,” the Doctor assured her with a soft chuckle. “Get some fresh air, you'll be fine.”

“Is it safe up there?” Amy asked.

“Not remotely,” the Doctor scoffed. 

“When is it ever safe?” Ariel giggled, shrugging slightly at the very idea

“But it's fresh,” the Doctor offered and Amy sighed.

“Fine,” Amy muttered, deciding it was better than remaining in the stuffy air of the Underhenge. She turned around and came face to face with Rory who greeted her with hopeful eyes. “Oh, you're the guy, yeah? The one who did the swordy thing,” she said, imitating the stabbing Rory had done with the Cyberman.

Ariel hid her face in the Doctor’s shoulder as Rory’s face fell. “Yeah,” Rory breathed, not quite believing that the woman he loved had no clue who he was.

“Well, thanks for the swording,” Amy smiled. “Nice swording.”

“No problem,” Rory mumbled as Amy marched past him entirely unaware that she was engaged to marry him. “Er,my men are up there,” Rory said, spinning around to her as she started to head out the door. “They'll look after you,” he assured her.

“Good,” Amy sighed, smiling at the man. “Love a Roman,” she hummed and headed out the door without another word. 

Rory turned back to find Ariel and the Doctor staring at him as though his puppy had just died. 

“She doesn't remember me,” Rory mumbled, not quite believing the words as he said them himself. “How can she not remember me?” He wondered.

“Because you never existed,” the Doctor answered simply, unsure of what else to offer the Centurion.

“I’m sorry,” Ariel sighed.

“What do you mean I never existed?” Rory asked with a small frown. “How can I not have existed?”

“Remember when he said you were erased?” Ariel prompted and Rory nodded.

“There are cracks,” the Doctor explained quickly as he turned his attention back to the Pandorica once again. “Cracks in time. There's going to be a huge explosion in the future, on one particular day. And every other moment in history is cracking around it.”

“So how does that work? What kind of explosion? What exploded?” Rory wondered.

Ariel and the Doctor both shared a look, simultaneously remembering Vincent’s painting.

The Doctor shook his head and sighed softly. “Doesn't matter,” he said. “The cracks are everywhere now. Get too close to them and you can fall right out of the universe.”

“So I fell through a crack and now I was never born?” Rory concluded.

“Basically,” the Doctor nodded.

“Well, how did I end up here?” Rory wondered with an almost annoyed shrug.

“I don't know, you shouldn't have,” the Doctor frowned. “What happened? From your point of view, what physically happened?”

“I was in the cave, with you and Ariel and Amy,” Rory remembered. “I was dying, and then I was just here, a Roman soldier. A proper Roman. Head full of Roman  _ stuff _ ,” he said with a small frown clearly thinking that had come out wrong but not caring enough to rephrase. “A whole other life, just here like I'd woken up from a dream. I started to think it was a dream, you two and Amy and Leadworth And then today, in the camp, the men were talking about the visitors,” he said, pausing as he smiled softly and remembered their exact words “The girl with the red hair,” he muttered. “I thought you'd come back for me. But she can't even remember me!” He cried.

“Oh, shut up,” the Doctor moaned.

“Doctor!” Ariel hissed.

“What?” Rory frowned, his face falling as he looked up at the Doctor.

The Doctor simply smiled and tossed Rory’s ring back to him. Ariel laughed and walked up to his side, looping her arm through his as she watched Rory stare at the ring completely dumbfounded.

“Go get her,” the Doctor instructed.

“But I don't understand,” Rory frowned. “Why am I here?”

“Because you are,” the Doctor shrugged. “The universe is big. It's vast and complicated and ridiculous, and sometimes, very rarely, impossible things just happen and we call them miracles, and that's the theory. Nine hundred years, never seen one yet, but this would do me,” he smiled, wrapping his arm around Ariel and pulling her close to his chest. “Now get upstairs. She's Amy and she's surrounded by Romans. I'm not sure history can take it,” he chuckled softly.

Rory glanced back at where Amy left. He took a deep breath and nodded, snapping the box for the ring shut and marching out with newfound determination in his eyes.

Ariel turned back to the Doctor with a sigh.

“Right then,” the Doctor nodded. “Back to work.”

Ariel smiled and they headed back to the Tardis to continue scanning. They did so in silence for a few moments before Ariel broke that silence with a confused look out to the door.

“Shouldn’t River be here by now?” Ariel frowned.

“Yeah,” the Doctor mumbled, coming to that realization as well. “Ring her up. The Tardis must have gone wrong or something,” he shrugged.

Ariel nodded and pulled out her mobile. They headed to the back of the Pandorica so none of the Romans would question the strange device Ariel held when she called River.

The phone rang once before River picked up immediately. Rather than put her on speaker, Ariel just passed the phone to the Doctor.

“The Tardis, where is it? Hurry up,” the Doctor snapped, not having the time for niceties when he spoke.

“Don't raise your voice, don't look alarmed, just listen,” River instructed.

The Doctor’s face fell and with wide eyes, he waved Ariel forward and held out the phone so they could both hear, not bothering to put it on speaker.

“What is it?” Ariel asked. “Is it the Tardis?”

“No, we have a bigger problem. I’m at Amy’s house. There were landing patterns outside and the door had been knocked it. There was something her before me and that’s not even the worst of it,” River sighed. 

“What is it?” Ariel asked.

“It’s the Romans,” she muttered. “The ones I sent to the pair of you. The ones you’re currently working with right now.” She paused for a moment, allowing the couple to understand the potential threat they faced right then. “They're not real. They can't be. They're all right here in the story book. Those actual Romans. The ones I sent you, the ones you're with right now. They're all in a book in Amy's house. A children's picture book,” River explained rapidly and Ariel paled.

“What are you even doing there?” The Doctor wondered with a small frown.

“It doesn't matter,” River shook her head. “The Tardis went wrong.”

“Doctor, how is this possible?” Ariel wondered, taking a moment to glance back at the Romans around them.

“Something's using her memories,” the Doctor replied with a shake of his head. “Amy's memories.”

“But how?” River asked desperately.

“You said something had been there,” the Doctor remembered.

“Yes,” River nodded. “There’s burn marks on the grass outside. Landing patterns.”

“If they've been to her house, they could have used her psychic residue,” the Doctor mumbled. “Structures can hold memories, that's why houses have ghosts. They could've taken a snapshot of Amy's memories. But why?” He wondered, raking his fingers through his hair furiously.

“But if they’re using her memories to make the Romans..,” Ariel trailed off, frowning at the Romans around her.

“Doctor, who are those Romans?” River asked, finishing Ariel’s thought for her.

“Projections, or duplicates,” the Doctor shrugged.

“But they were helping us,” River reasoned. “My lipstick even worked.”

“Yeah, how can her lipstick work on some projections?” Ariel wondered.

“They might think they're real,” the Doctor proposed with a shrug. “The perfect disguise. They actually believe their own cover story, right until they're activated,” he hummed.

“Activated?” Ariel frowned, curious at the Doctor’s reasoning.

“Doctor, Ari, that Centurion,” River breathed, her voice sounding odd as she spoke. 

“What?” Ariel asked. “What is it?”

“He’s not real either,” River murmured and Ariel’s heart sank into her chest as she turned to the Doctor with large eyes. “There’s a picture here of Amy and him. It looks like some sort of Halloween photo. He’s dressed up as a Roman.”

“Why would someone do all this?” Ariel wondered.

“It's a trap,” River sighed. “It has to be. They used Amy to construct a scenario you'd both believe, to get close to you.”

“Why?” The Doctor wondered aimlessly. “Who'd do that? What for? It doesn't make sense,” he moaned, rubbing his temple as his mind tried to process all the information being spat out at him.

All of a sudden, something in the Tardis went bang so loudly they could hear it clearly through the phone. The Doctor stood up straighter, his eyes wide as he pressed the phone against his ear and furiously brushed his hair out of his face.

“River?! River?!” The Doctor cried. 

Ariel just stared after him, unsure if she was blinking or even breathing as she waited for him to display some sign that River was speaking to him and still alive.

“River, what's happening?!” The Doctor yelled.

“I don't know!” River shouted and the Doctor let out a soft sigh of relief at the sound of her voice. “It's the engines. Doctor, there's something wrong with the Tardis, like something else is controlling it.”

The Doctor held out the phone so Ariel could hear once again and frowned. 

“I'm flying it perfectly!” River snapped. “You taught me,” she reminded him.

“Well, where did the Tardis drop you?” Ariel asked. “Not just Amy’s house the actual time zone.”

“Yeah, where are you?” The Doctor wondered. “What's the date reading?”

“It's the 26th of June, 2010,” River replied and Ariel was certain she and the Doctor’s hearts had all stopped beating.

“You need to get out of there now!” The Doctor ordered. “Any other time zone. Just go!”

“I can’t break free,” River moaned.

“Well, then shut down the Tardis,” the Doctor instructed, raking his fingers wildly through his hair. “Shut down everything!”

“I can’t!” River cried. “Someone else is flying it. An external force. I've lost control.”

A high pitched noise filled the room and Ariel cried out as she and the Doctor knelt over, plugging their ears while he walked out to the front of the Pandorica to continue talking to River.

“Listen to me, just land her anywhere,” the Doctor instructed. “Emergency landing, now. There are cracks in time. I've seen them everywhere, and they're getting wider. The Tardis exploding is what causes them, but we can stop the cracks ever happening if you just land her.”

“I can’t!” River yelled. “It’s not safe!”

All of a sudden, before the Doctor could respond to her, the high pitched ringing began to fade away and there was a loud hiss as the Pandorica finally broke open.

“Doctor,” Ariel gasped. She tugged on his jacket sleeve and redirected his focus to the white light coming out from the Pandorica.

The Doctor’s eyes widened as he stared at the small crack, very slowly opening wider and leaving a great big question mark around what could be lurking inside.

“Well, now,” the Doctor hummed. “Ready to come out, are we?” He smiled. He placed the phone to his ear and took a deep breath. “River, we have to go. The Pandorica is open.”

“Be careful!” River exclaimed. “We still don’t know who or what could have created those Romans,” she reminded him.

“Yes, yes, I know,” the Doctor sighed. He hang up the phone and tossed it to Ariel before stepping up to the Pandorica to get a closer look. “Now what are you?” He mumbled.

Ariel put her phone in her back pocket and turned to head out of the chamber so she could inform Amy about the Pandorica, when she spotted the Romans.

They were all in a single file line, eyes unblinking and their fingers had dropped away from their hands like robots revealing small guns in each and every single one of them.

“Doctor?” Ariel said hesitantly. 

The Romans marched forward and two stood on both sides of her, one of each of them grabbing her arms and dragging her away from the Pandorica. “Doctor!” Ariel shrieked.

The Doctor turned with large eyes. “Ariel!” He cried and ran forward only to have the Romans grab him as well.

The couple both scrambled and fought against the Romans but to no avail. Their skin felt like plastic but they were stronger than even imaginable when holding onto them.

“What are they?!” Ariel cried. “What do they want?”

“Plastic Romans. Duplicates, driven by the Nestene Consciousness,” the Doctor explained, staring at the Romans on either side of him with wide eyes. “They’re in deep cover, but what for?” He wondered. “What are you doing? What's in there, eh? What's coming out?”

Once the Romans had a firm grip on the couple, they were marched back to the Pandorica, standing just before the prison box as it continued to open.

“The Pandorica is ready,” one of the Romans announced, his voice much more flat and robotic when he spoke.

“What, do you mean it's open?” The Doctor frowned.

“It doesn’t look like its open,” Ariel remarked. “There’s just a bright light in there.”

All of a sudden, a white Dalek beamed into the Pandorica chamber followed by a red and yellow right behind it.

Ariel inhaled sharply and her heart felt like it was in her throat when she spotted the Daleks.

“You have been scanned, assessed, understood, Doctor, Ariel,” the white Dalek announced.

“Scanned? Scanned by what, a box?” The Doctor frowned.

“Why have you scanned us?” Ariel wondered.

“Your limits and capacities have been extrapolated,” the white Dalek replied.

Before the Dalek could say any more, several other races beaming in. The Cybermen arrived, then the Judoon, then the Sontarans.

“The Pandorica is ready,” the Sontaran at the head of the group announced.

“Ready for what?” The Doctor breathed, unable to control the fear in his voice when he spoke.

“Ready for the Hybrid,” the white Dalek announced.

“The Hybrid?” Ariel frowned. “Who is the Hybrid?”

“The two of you,” one of the Cybermen explained.

The Doctor and Ariel glanced at each other with large eyes. “No,” the Doctor murmured. 

The Romans began slowly dragging the pair of them towards the box and Ariel screamed, fighting against them as hard as possible but just losing.

“No, take me but leave her be! Don’t do this to her!” He roared.

“Doctor, don’t!” Ariel shrieked. “No, no, leave him be!” She yelled.

“No!” The Doctor snapped.

All their enemies simply watched as they were pulled inside, knowing their words were the exact reason they were being forced into the Pandorica. They would fight until their dying breaths for each other. They had killed for each other despite their vows stating they should do otherwise. If they weren’t stopped, the universe would be destroyed just so they could save each other. 

The universe would be blown up with a big bang just because the Doctor and Ariel cannot survive in a world without each other.

The pair of them were shoved into the Pandorica and strapped in side by side despite their struggles. Their arms, torsos and heads were all clamped into place while their old enemies just stared at them.

“You lot, working together,” the Doctor gasped. “An alliance. How is that possible?” He wondered.

“The cracks in the skin of the universe,” the white Dalek said.

“All reality is threatened,” the Sontaran announced.

“All universes will be deleted,” the Cyberleader said.

“What? And you've come to us for help?” The Doctor frowned.

“No. We will save the universe from you!” The Sontaran snapped.

The Doctor and Ariel shared a look of pure confusion. “From us?” Ariel prompted.

“All projections correlate. All evidence concurs,” the Cyberleader said. “The Doctor and Ariel Parsons will destroy the universe.”

“Both of us,” Ariel frowned. 

“The Hybrid is said to unravel the web of time and destroy a billion billion hearts to heal its own,” the Sontaran reminded them.

“And you think that’s us?” The Doctor gasped.

“So, you-you made this to stop us?” Ariel concluded, staring down at the Pandorica with large eyes.

“The Pandorica was constructed to ensure the safety of the Alliance,” the Cyberleader responded.

“A scenario was devised from the memories of your companion,” the white Dalek informed them.

“A trap the Doctor could not resist,” the Sontaran agreed.

“The cracks in time are the work of the Doctor,” the white Dalek announced. “It is confirmed.”

“Us?!” The Doctor exclaimed, still not understanding completely.

“River was right,” Ariel murmured. “The Tardis was only a warning.”

“You are a dangerous combination,” the white Dalek said. “You will be prevented.”

“No,” Ariel breathed. “No!” She screamed. “Don’t do this!”

“Seal the Pandorica,” the Cyberleader instructed.

“No! Please, listen to us!” The Doctor yelled. “This is not us! This can’t be us!”

The Pandorica started closing and Ariel fought against her bonds in vain, screaming furiously.

“Listen to us!” The Doctor roared until the Pandorica was sealed tight, concealing the box in darkness and trapping the couple in place in the hopes of preventing the end of the universe.


	26. The End of the World

All of a sudden, the Pandorica hissed open and Ariel inhaled sharply, looking up to see the walls of the Pandorica sliding open to reveal none other than Rory Williams standing before them holding out the Doctor’s sonic appearing as confused as they felt.

The Doctor and Ariel shared a small frown before looking back at Rory. 

The clamps released them and the Doctor hopped out before helping Ariel do the same. He turned to Rory and raised an eyebrow at the Roman.

“How did you do that?” He asked.

Rory simply held up the sonic screwdriver and shrugged. “You gave me this.”

The Doctor frowned and pulled his own sonic screwdriver out of his jacket pocket. “No, I didn’t.”

“Oh, that’s freaky,” Ariel hummed, giggling softly at the sight of two sonic screwdrivers. 

“You did,” Rory insisted with a nod. “Look at it,” he said, waving the sonic in his hands before the Doctor.

The Doctor tiptoed cautiously toward Rory and slowly placed his sonic against the one Rory held. The two sparked making Ariel jump back and stare at the duplicates with wide eyes.

“Temporal energy,” the Doctor explained with a sigh. “Same screwdriver at different points in its own time stream. Which means it was me who gave it to you. Me from the future. I've got a future. That's nice,” he smiled.

“Yeah,” Ariel grinned. “Was I there?”

Rory furrowed his eyebrows to see if he remembered seeing the brunette before shaking his head. “No.”

“Oh,” Ariel pouted. “Oh, well,” she shrugged. She spun around and her eyes widened when they fell on the empty room. “Ah, we get sealed up in the Pandorica and everyone just vanishes,” she sighed. There wasn’t a single trace of any of their captors having been there at all. “Where have they all gone?”

“I suppose it’s coming any second now,” the Doctor hummed. “The end of the universe,” he said ominously. “They must have all run for the hills in the hopes of avoiding it.”

“But they said it was us,” Ariel reminded him with a nod. “They said we did this.”

“And they were wrong,” the Doctor nodded. “I don’t know what’s happening, but this can’t be us,” he mumbled. “It just can’t be.”

“They said we were the Hybrid,” Ariel remembered with a small frown. “Could they be right about that?” She wondered.

“I don’t know,” the Doctor sighed, combing his fingers through his hair. “It makes sense,” he shrugged. “All the legends on Gallifrey. All the stories we heard. They made it sound like the Hybrid was at least partially Time Lord,” he nodded. “And the two of us…,” he trailed off as he looked down at Ariel. “It could be,” he mumbled.

“What are you talking about?” Rory frowned. “What’s the Hybrid?”

The Doctor cast a curious glance down at Ariel and she simply nodded. Rory needed to understand everything that was happening. If they were in fact the Hybrid, he deserved to know.

“When I was younger and still in the Academy on Gallifrey, I snuck into a room I had only ever seen the highest of Time Lords enter. They never spoke of it, so one day my curiosity got the best of me and I had to have a look inside,” the Doctor said. “Naturally as most children do, no matter the species, I wanted to be in on the secrets of grown ups. I wanted to be like them and knew all that they knew,” he sighed. 

He moved to one of the stones in the chamber, hanging his head and raking his fingers through his hair.

Ariel smiled softly and walked over to him, sitting by his side and rubbing his back in comfort before he gained the nerve to speak again.

“It was there that I was confronted with a group of people called the Wraiths,” he said. “They were a race of information seekers, that had information on law breakers in the universe and they told me about the Hybrid. What they said, it terrified me and I buried the memory so deep I didn’t dare think of it again.”

“What did they tell you?” Rory asked, tilting his head curiously at the Doctor.

“The Hybrid was a creature feared throughout Gallifrey. At the time, the Time War was dawning and so naturally when told of it, the Time Lords assumed the Hybrid to be a combination of the Daleks and the Time Lords.”

Rory and Ariel nodded in understanding. The Doctor told all his companions of the Time War no matter who they were. He felt it only right for them to know their history and so everyone he had traveled with knew what he had done to his race and why. 

“However, we were never told the Hybrid was Time Lord and Dalek. We were just told it was a combination of two races. Two great and mighty civilizations combined together to create the most fearsome warrior.”

“Or warriors,” Ariel mumbled and the Doctor nodded.

“That was what the Wraiths told me,” the Doctor said. “The Hybrid was not one but two. An unstoppable pair, that was one half Time Lord and would one day destroy everything I knew and loved to protect themselves.”

“And the Daleks and everyone,” Rory said, gesturing vaguely to the area where their enemies had once been. “They think the two of you are it?”

The Doctor seemed unwilling to respond, but simply nodded as he placed his head in his hands, wondering how on Earth this had slipped away from him.

“It makes sense,” Ariel sighed. 

“Well, you’re just alike,” Rory nodded. “A powerful Time Lord and a human just like him.”

“Willing to push each other to extremes,” Ariel murmured. 

“Well, hold on, how did you meet?” Rory wondered.

Ariel and the Doctor glanced at each other with large eyes. “The Tardis,” they said in unison.

“The Tardis?” Rory echoed, a question clear in his tone.

“The Tardis,  _ my  _ Tardis,” the Doctor said, shaking his head. “It brought me to her. Right in front of her more like.”

“Well, didn’t you say once the Tardis is drawn to massive points in time? Big temporal tipping points and such?” Rory said, waving his hand aimlessly, unsure if he got the phrasing right.

“Yeah,” the Doctor breathed, staring at Ariel with unblinking eyes.

“And the two of you, that would be it, wouldn’t it?” Rory guessed. 

“Yep,” Ariel murmured, hanging her head at the revelation.

“Well, that’s just it,” Rory shrugged. “You two are the Hybrid,” he said simply though neither of them were exactly pleased with the revelation. “Now, erm, I know you might need a minute but there’s something I’ve got to show you. Both of you.”

Ariel took a deep breath and nodded, turning to the Doctor to ensure he was ready after what they had just realized.

The Doctor sighed softly and nodded, knowing at the end of the world there was hardly time for him to panic over what he had feared all his childhood. 

They both stood up and Rory nodded them out of the Pandorica chamber and out from the Underhenge to Stonehenge.

There in the barren field was a single body, covered by a blanket on one of the stone slabs.

“No,” Ariel gasped, falling back and staring at the figure with large eyes, refusing to believe what she was seeing.

“I’m so sorry,” Rory breathed, shaking his head at the pair of them.

The Doctor was the only one with the nerve to step forward and pulled the blanket just enough to reveal the dead face of Amelia Pond.

“No!” Ariel shrieked. She ran forward and knelt before Amy, clutching the girl’s head and allowing furious tears to stream down her face, overwhelmed with all the universe was hitting her with in such a short span of time.

“I killed her,” Rory breathed.

“Oh, Rory,” the Doctor sighed, stepping back and rubbing his face as he tried to digest everything. 

“Doctor, what am I?” Rory asked shakily, fighting back sobs as he watched his friend cry over the body of the woman he loved. 

“You're a Nestene duplicate,” the Doctor explained, his voice barely above a whisper as he spoke. “A lump of plastic with delusions of humanity.”

“But I'm Rory now,” Rory insisted, placing his hand on his chest and nodding as though to convince himself more than the couple. “Whatever was happening, it's stopped. They didn’t take me with them. I'm Rory.”

“That’s software talking,” the Doctor shook his head. He knelt down beside Ariel and tapped the brunette’s shoulder. “I know you’re upset, but I have to scan her,” the Doctor said, trying to keep the shakiness out of his voice and be the voice of reason when the pair were so distraught.

Ariel sniffled and nodded, moving a few inches backward as the Doctor pulled out his sonic and scanned the redhead.

“I’m sorry, Ariel,” Rory murmured. 

Ariel got to her feet and shook her head, wiping tears from her eyes as she addressed the Centurion. “This isn’t your fault, Rory,” she assured him. “You weren’t yourself when you did this.”

“I know,” Rory sighed, clenching his jaw as he looked down at Amy. “I was a thing. I am a thing.”

Ariel sighed softly and shook her head once again as she walked away, trying to wipe away her emotions so she could think clearly.

However, before she could even get her thoughts sorted out, there was a strange yet familiar wheezing and the Doctor jumped up with large eyes at the sound of it. 

They were safe if their ears weren’t deceiving them and the Tardis really was finally there. They were all safe. 

The Tardis faded in and out with wide eyes and Ariel stared around her as the Tardis materialized around her body.

“Ariel?” The Doctor frowned, uncertain of why River would land the Tardis right on top of Ariel. His eyes widened as he watched her disappear inside it and the Tardis begin to dematerialize again. “Ariel!” He screamed, running up to the Tardis just as it disappeared completely. “No,” the Doctor breathed, looking around as though it would simply reappear in another spot around the Stonehenge. “Ariel!” He screamed his throat raw.

Meanwhile, in the Tardis, Ariel fell back as it lurched and more sparks shot out of the console.

“Ariel?” River frowned, peering around the console as she connected two wires. 

“River?” Ariel said, and jumped back as a loud bang had sparks flying out right in front of River. “Is it still not landing?” She asked, running up to River’s side and peering at the Tardis, unsure what was wrong with the poor machine.

“No,” River sighed. “I’ve tried everything. Part of me just wants to give up and let whoever had got control of this thing fly her.”

“Well, the Doctor suggested an emergency landing,” Ariel remembered, clinging onto the Tardis console desperately as it lurched again.

“I know, but it’s not safe!” River moaned, trying desperately to work with the controls and get the Tardis back in her hands. “I’ve implanted Stonehenge’s coordinates half a dozen times into this thing and they’ve only worked once for half a second to pick you up!” She snapped. “Then I was kicked out again.”

“I know, but if you emergency land this it might kick whoever is controlling the Tardis out of it.”

River’s eyes widened as she stared at the controls, realizing the brunette had a valid point. “You could be right,” River nodded. “But it’s risky.”

“So long as the risk allows us to re-land the Tardis it’s well worth it,” Ariel nodded.

“Right then,” River sighed as she took hold of the proper controls to emergency land the Tardis. “Hang on!” She cried.

She pulled the lever and Ariel screamed as the Tardis practically had a fit at the feeling of being emergency landed. The two women were tossed about recklessly, flying around the console room as she tried to land.

However, after what felt like ages of being thrown around, the Tardis eventually came to a shuddering stop.

River pulled herself up to her feet with a soft groan and stared at the time rotors with a curious frown. “Okay,” she sighed. “Okay, I think that work,” she chuckled, smiling softly at the console. “Ariel?” She prompted.

A soft groan from the other side of the room answered her and River ran around to find the brunette laying on her back, moaning as she clutched her head.

She opened her eyes to River and simply winced. “Why is it that every time I’m injured with you lot it’s my head?” She wondered with a soft sigh.

River chuckled and held out a hand to help the girl up. “Come on. I think the Tardis has landed properly this time.”

“Brilliant,” Ariel groaned, accepting the hand of the woman who helped her to her feet. “All it cost me was a brain injury.”

River laughed and took the girls hand as they headed to the door. However, when they tried to pry it open, it wouldn’t budge.

“What the hell?” River frowned.

“Oh, it’s never just this easy is it?” Ariel sighed. “Is there anything we can use in here to get the door open?”

“I don’t know,” River muttered, shaking her head as she pushed her hair out of her face and thought. “We might be able to get it open it we connect two wires to the door and use the remaining power from the Tardis to pry it open.”

“Good,” Ariel nodded. “Let’s do it. I can’t stand being in here,” she sighed.

“Why not?” River wondered with a small frown as she ran back up to the controls to set her plan in motion.

“Well, the Doctor and I just found out we’re the Hybrid and I just-I want to be with him right now. I can’t stand being away and trying to cope with this information on my own.”

“You’re what?!” River exclaimed just as a spark shot out from the Tardis, emphasizing her words.

“Hey that was perfect timing,” Ariel remarked, gesturing to the Tardis console with a soft smile.

“Hold on, so you and the Doctor-?” River began as she pulled to cables from the Tardis.

“Are the creatures destined to stand in the ruins of Gallifrey and watch as it falls,” Ariel nodded. “Hold on,” she said with wide eyes. “Watch as it fell,” she repeated in a whisper. “When the Master tried to bring back Gallifrey and we stopped him-,” she began.

“You watched as it fell,” River finished with a soft gasp.

Ariel nodded. “I remember as we sent them back this woman kept shouting ‘Gallifrey is falling! Falling!’” She said. “That was us,” she breathed.

“But the rest of that prophecy,” River frowned. “That wasn’t just it, was it?”

“No,” Ariel shook her head. “We’re supposed to ‘unravel the web of time and destroy a billion billion hearts to save our own’, whatever that means,” she shrugged.

“Right, well, I suppose we’ll find out won’t we?” River hummed. “It always seems to come to a tipping point with these things.”

“Yeah,” Ariel murmured, staring down at the ground at the very idea. “We just need to get back to the Doctor. Above all else I want to get back to him and hopefully sort this.”

“Well, your wish is my command, love,” River smiled as she held tow wires out to Ariel. “Clip these onto the door handles,” she instructed, tapping the metal end of the wires that looked like hands. “Once you do that I can send the power to the door and pry it open.”

“Brilliant,” Ariel nodded. She did as she was told and clipped each of the wires onto the door. 

Sparks shot out from the console as River connected two wires and Ariel ran back up to her side. 

She spun one of the levers and shot an anxious smile at Ariel. The brunette simply nodded, hope and confidence surging through her as they both ran back to the doors. 

River flung the doors open and found a brick wall on the other side.

“No!” Ariel cried, falling to her knees at the sight. All she wanted was to get back to the Doctor and the universe, for some reason, wouldn’t allow it.

“I’m sorry, my love,” River sighed, truly devastated that she couldn’t get the brunette back to the Doctor. She glanced back just in time to watch a button on the Tardis explode.

And then something strange happened, rather than being just victims of the blast, the whole scene repeated itself.

Sparks shot out from the console as River connected two wires and Ariel ran back up to her side.   
She spun one of the levers and shot an anxious smile at Ariel. The brunette simply nodded, hope and confidence surging through her as they both ran back to the doors.   
River flung the doors open and found a brick wall on the other side.  
“No!” Ariel cried, falling to her knees at the sight. All she wanted was to get back to the Doctor and the universe, for some reason, wouldn’t allow it.  
“I’m sorry, my love,” River sighed, truly devastated that she couldn’t get the brunette back to the Doctor. She glanced back just in time to watch a button on the Tardis explode.

And then it repeated again.

Sparks shot out from the console as River connected two wires and Ariel ran back up to her side.   
She spun one of the levers and shot an anxious smile at Ariel. The brunette simply nodded, hope and confidence surging through her as they both ran back to the doors.   
However, this time they weren’t greeted by a brick wall and despair trudging through their veins. Rather, the Doctor stood leaning against the door, donning a fez and grinning at the two women he loved.

“Doctor!” Ariel exclaimed. She ran into his arms and hugged him tightly.

“Hi, honey. I'm home,” the Doctor smiled, pulling away from the hug to delicately brush some stray hair out of Ariel’s eyes.

River meanwhile was not feigning the joyous reunion, rather she peered at the watch on her wrist and sighed. “And what sort of time to you call this?” She prompted, raising an impatient eyebrow at the Doctor and placing her hands on her hips.

Ariel giggled as she looked up at the Doctor’s soft smile.

He held out his arm with a black teleporter strapped onto it and grinned at the pair. “Hold on,” he instructed.

Each woman latched onto one of his arms and he teleported them out of the explosion and straight to a rooftop where Rory and Amy stood watching them with large eyes.

“Amy!” Ariel exclaimed. She ran into the arms of the redhead and hugged her tightly and while the woman was taken aback by the hug, she made no objections to hugging the girl back tightly. 

“And the plastic Centurion,” River observed, nodding to Rory with a small frown.

“It's okay, he's on our side,” the Doctor dismissed with a wave of his hand.

“Really?” River prompted, raising a fascinated eyebrow at the Doctor.

“Yeah,” the Doctor confirmed with a nod.

“I dated a Nestene duplicate once,” River sighed. “Swappable head. It did keep things fresh,” she hummed.

Ariel laughed and turned back to Amy with a shake of her head. “How are you here?” She wondered.

“Oh, the Doctor did it,” she said, nodding to the man himself. “He placed me in the Pandorica and allowed me to heal.”

“What?” Ariel frowned, glancing back at the Doctor. “But I thought she was dead.”

“Almost dead,” the Doctor corrected. “It was just enough for the Pandorica to heal her.”

“So, the Pandorica heals people?” Ariel frowned. 

“It has to,” the Doctor nodded. “It’s the perfect prison. You can’t even escape it by dying.”

“Well, that’s horrifying,” Ariel remarked.

“Didn’t say it was a pretty explanation,” the Doctor reminded her.

“Right then,” River sighed, nodding to each of the group in turn. “I have questions, but number one is this. What in the name of sanity have you got on your head?” River wondered, turning to the Doctor and staring pointedly at the bright red fez sat atop his head.

The three women just laughed while the Doctor looked put out at River’s remarks.

“It's a fez. I wear a fez now,” the Doctor replied defensively. “Fezes are cool,” he shrugged, placing his hands on his hips and daring them to say otherwise.

Ariel and River shared an amused look, already knowing what they had to do. Time Lords had terrible fashion sense and neither planned to date a man wearing an outdated fashion piece such as a fez. They could make their peace with the bow tie but the fez was one step too far.

Amy caught their exchange and grinned at them, hurrying up behind the Doctor to try and help them as they did what needed to be done.

Amy held the Doctor’s arms back as Ariel snatched the Doctor’s fez off his head and tossed it into the air.

“Oh!” The Doctor exclaimed and made to move for the fez, but Amy pulled him back.

River smiled at the girls and shot the fez right out of the air, making it fall to small pieces before falling off the roof and onto the ground below the building.

The women all laughed and high-fived until a figure rose just below where the fez had fallen that wiped the smiles off all their faces.

“Exterminate!” The Dalek cried.

Ariel jumped back and River pushed the brunette behind her as the Doctor fumbled for some object on the ground. The Dalek began shooting at them and River shot back while the Doctor used a satellite dish as a shield. He glanced back and made sure Ariel was safe before stepping up and keeping all the Dalek’s blasts away from the group while the Dalek levitated onto the roof.

“Run, run!” The Doctor cried. “Move, move. Go!”

Ariel’s gaze was fixed on the Doctor, praying he didn’t do something stupid like get himself killed while Amy and Rory opened a small hatch leading down into the building.

“Ariel, come on!” Rory called, waving her over as Amy started to climb down into the building.

Ariel cast a worried glance at the Doctor, hesitant at leaving while he was still in the crossfire.

“Doctor!” She yelled.

“Go!” The Doctor cried. “I’m right behind you, just go!”

Ariel took a deep breath, still unwilling to move until River grabbed her wrist and greeted her with large eyes. “I’ll make sure he’s safe, but you have to run!” River yelled.

Ariel nodded, knowing she could trust River as she ran to the hatch. Rory helped her inside and waited as River climbed down. Rory followed quickly after and then the Doctor climbed inside and closed the hatch behind him.

River kept her gun trained on the hatch while the Doctor sonicked it closed so the Dalek couldn’t get inside.

There were large thumps on the hatch and Ariel watched with wide eyes as the Doctor continued to sonic.

“Doctor, come on,” River murmured, not at all pleased with the anxiety present in the threat potentially breaking in.

“Shush,” the Doctor hissed, placing his finger to his lips to silence them so he could press his ear to the hatch. There was a final thump and then silence. “It's moving away, finding another way in. It needs to restore its power before it can attack again. Now, that means we've got exactly four and a half minutes before it's at lethal capacity.”

“How do you know?” Rory wondered.

“If it’s already able to fire, it’s only just a matter of time,” the Doctor shrugged. “But never mind that,” he shook his head. “How can that Dalek even exist? It was erased from time and then it came back,” he hummed as they made their way down they steps and to the upper corridor of some museum.

“How?” The Doctor repeated with a small frown.

“You said the light from the Pandorica,” Rory reminded him.

“It's not a light, it's a restoration field,” the Doctor corrected. “But never mind, call it a light,” he sighed. “That light brought Amy back, restored her, but how could it bring back a Dalek when the Daleks have never existed?” He wondered, spinning around the four of them with a question in the air.

“Okay, tell us,” Amy nodded.

“When the Tardis blew up, it caused a total event collapse,” the Doctor explained. “A time explosion. And that explosion blasted every atom in every moment of the universe. Except-,” he stopped and turned to Ariel with a raised eyebrow.

“Except inside the Pandorica,” Ariel finished with a smile.

“The perfect prison,” the Doctor nodded. “And inside it, perfectly preserved, a few billion atoms of the universe as it was. In theory, you could extrapolate the whole universe from a single one of them, like, like cloning a body from a single cell. And we've got the bumper family pack,” he hummed.

“No, no,” Rory sighed, shaking his head. “Too fast. I'm not getting it.”

“The box contains a memory of the universe, and the light transmits the memory, and that's how we're going to do it,” the Doctor explained with a grin.

“Do what?” Amy asked with a small frown.

“Relight the fire,” the Doctor said. “Reboot the universe. Come on!” He exclaimed as he grabbed Ariel’s hand and leapt forward down the corridor as she giggled. 

“Doctor, you're being completely ridiculous,” River scoffed. “The Pandorica partially restored one Dalek. If it can't even reboot a single life form properly, how's it reboot the whole of reality?” She wondered.

“What if we give it a moment of infinite power?” The Doctor prompted, spinning around and beaming at River. “What if we can transmit the light from the Pandorica to every particle of space and time simultaneously?” He asked.

“Well, that would be lovely, dear, but we can't, because it's  _ completely  _ impossible,” River insisted.

“Ah, never say completely,” Ariel feigned a pout, giggling excitedly at the Doctor. 

The Doctor nodded in agreement, beaming at the woman he loved as she skipped ahead down the corridor. “It's almost completely impossible. One spark is all we need,” he hummed.

“For what?” River asked.

“Big Bang Two!” The Doctor exclaimed proudly. He spun around and smiled softly as he watched Ariel skip happily around the corner, but his smile dropped when she skidded to a stop and started tiptoeing toward something with a small frown.

His eyes grew wide as he realized what she must be looking at. “Ariel, no-!” He cried, but he was too late.

Ariel screamed in pain as the Dalek fired a single shot straight into her chest.

“Ariel!” Rory and Amy cried.

“No!” River shouted and they all ran to her. 

The Doctor slid onto the floor and caught her just before she fell. 

Rory shot at the Dalek several times and it powered down before he joined the Doctor by Ariel’s side, checking her breathing and her heartbeat.

Her breath was erratic and her eyes were wide as the Doctor picked her up bridal style and raced her down the steps to the lower corridor where Rory followed.

“Make sure she’s safe,” River breathed, staring at the Dalek with a clenched jaw and her weapon raised.

“What are you going to do?” Amy asked.

“That Dalek is going to power up again soon,” River said. “After that happens I’ll be right with you,” she promised, snarling at the Dalek.

Amy frowned, but nodded and raced out to Ariel and the Doctor. 

She fell to her knees where Ariel was gasping and glancing at the three of them with tears in her eyes.

“I don’t-I don’t want to go,” Ariel stammered, tears falling to her cheek while the Doctor watched her with silent sobs.

“Don’t,” he begged, shaking his head furiously at the young brunette. “Please, please, don’t.”

Ariel took a deep breath and glanced back at Rory and Amy. “Take care of him,” she requested, her voice rough and choked out when she spoked. “Please. Promise me.”

“We will,” Amy nodded. “I promise.”

Ariel smiled softly and closed her eyes, tears tracing paths down her cheeks as each breath became more difficult than the last. “No!” The Doctor cried. “No, don’t leave me!” 

Ariel turned to the Doctor and sucked in a shallow breath, wincing in pain as she did so. She held up a shaky hand and clutched his cheek while his tears fell into her palm.

“It’ll be okay,” Ariel promised. “So long as you’re okay I’ll be alright.”

“I won’t,” the Doctor mumbled, shaking his head furiously. “I won’t be alright without you here. I can’t.”

“You will,” Ariel nodded. “River will take care of you. And Amy. I’m just-,” she looked down and gulped harshly, trying to find the strength to wish him farewell. “I’m sorry I never got to marry you,” she croaked, her voice growing weaker with each passing second.

The Doctor choked back a sob and Rory even turned away, his eyes wide as he covered his mouth and fought back the sadness that enveloped his chest at her words.

“Look at you,” she smiled weakly, her tone breathy and labored as she spoke to him. “You’re so beautiful,” she muttered.

The Doctor took a shaky breath and leant down to her ear. If she was going to die, she needed to know the one thing he would only ever tell her. The answer to the question echoed through time.

His name.

Ariel smiled softly at him as he pulled away. “I love you so much,” she mumbled, her voice croaking out the words before she let out a ragged breath.

A single tear streamed down her cheek as her eyes fluttered shut and she gave up her fight to stay.


	27. Ariel Parsons Is Dead

“You will be exterminated!” The Dalek shrieked and River just rolled her eyes as Amy and Rory ran up to her.

“River!” Amy cried.

River’s eyes widened as she gazed back at the pair. “What are you doing?!” She exclaimed. “I told you to keep Ariel safe!” She snapped.

Amy choked back a sob and placed her hands over her mouth to keep from crying out. Rory wrapped his arms around the redhead and sighed softly.

“Ariel,” he said shakily, unwilling to quite accept the words he was about to say himself. “Ariel Parsons is dead,” he muttered and River’s eyes grew stone cold as she turned back to the Dalek.

“Well, that makes things quite simple then doesn’t it?” River hummed.

“River?” Amy prompted with a small frown.

“Your systems are still restoring, which means your shield density is compromised. One Alpha Mezon burst through your eyestalk would kill you stone dead,” River informed the Dalek.

“Records indicate you will show mercy,” the Dalek announced. “You are an associate of the Doctor's.”

“I’m River Song, and you just killed the woman I love,” River snarled. “Don’t think for a second that is safe ground you stand on.”

The Dalek paused for a moment as though going over her records and realizing what a massive mistake it had made.

“Mercy,” it requested.

“Say it again,” River hissed, raising a brow at the Dalek.

“Mercy!” The Dalek pleaded.

“One more time,” River muttered as she aimed her gun straight at the eyestalk of the Dalek.

“Mercy!” The Dalek cried.

River fired several rounds at the Dalek, far more than necessary until it’s head exploded. Once the Dalek was surely dead, she turned to Rory and Amy who were either looking at her in awe or pure terror.

“Take me to her,” River ordered and all the couple could do was obey.

They lead her down the steps to where Ariel’s body was, but rather just found empty space.

“He was here,” Amy frowned. “They were both here.”

“The Doctor wouldn’t have moved,” Rory shook his head. “She was dead.”

“Who told you that?” River wondered, raising an eyebrow at the pair.

“He did,” Amy shrugged. “He felt her pulse and said she was dead.”

They ran back to the exhibit where the Pandorica had been and found the Doctor strapping Ariel into the Pandorica quickly.

“Doctor!” Amy shouted and the Doctor’s eyes widened as he glanced back at them. He turned back to Ariel and began strapping her into the Pandorica even faster.

“Why did he tell us she was dead?” Rory wondered.

“We were a diversion,” Amy murmured. “As long as we were dealing with the Dalek, he could run and strap her in here.”

River bolted over to Ariel and cupped her cheek as the brunette let out a ragged breath.

“She lets out about one breath every minute,” the Doctor sighed. “It’s not much,” he shrugged as River turned to face the Doctor. “But it’s hope,” he nodded.

“What were you planning to do with her strapped in here?” River wondered.

“Well, I’m going too,” the Doctor smiled. 

“To do what?!” River cried.

“The Sontarans, the Cybermen, the Daleks, even Prisoner Zero. They were all wrong,” the Doctor said. “They said I’d blow up the universe just to save her. The Hybrid would unravel the web of time and destroy a billion billion hearts. It was all wrong.”

“What do you mean?” Amy frowned.

“Even Davros,” he sighed as he glanced back at Ariel. “Because sure I’d do anything to save her life. That much is true, but I’m not blowing up the universe to do it. Not yet, anyway,” he smirked.

“Oh,” River gasped as his plan finally sunk in. “Oh, you are brilliant.”

“What?” Amy asked. “What is it?”

“The Tardis is still burning. It's exploding at every point in history. If you threw the Pandorica into the explosion, right into the heart of the fire,” River said. 

“Then what?” Amy prompted.

“Then let there be light,” River hummed. “The light from the Pandorica would explode everywhere at once, just like he said.”

“That would work? That would bring everything back?” Amy implored.

“Not just everything,” River smiled as she glanced back at Ariel, tears still wetting the cheeks of the brunette. “It would bring her back as well.”

“Hold on, are you doing this to bring the universe back anymore?” Rory asked. “Or is it just to bring her back?”

“What, restarting the whole universe just to save one life?” Amy frowned.

“In a heartbeat,” the Doctor nodded. “I’d burn it too if that’s what it took to keep her alive,” he muttered as he cupped her cheek delicately.

“The Hybrid,” River hummed. “A dangerous combination. Both parts so unwilling to live without the other half they would destroy a billion billion hearts to mend their own.”

“But that’s just it,” the Doctor sighed. “I’m not destroying the universe. I could,” he nodded. “But I’m not because Ariel Parsons was never the girl fated to destroy the universe or time itself. She’s the girl who saves it. The girl who saves all of creation,” he smiled.

~~~

After River helped the Doctor strap himself into the Tardis, she sighed softly and hung her head before them.

“You’d really go to hell if she asked wouldn’t you?” River hummed.

“In a moment,” the Doctor smiled softly. He glanced over her shoulder and narrowed his eyes at Amy who was standing beside Rory talking in hushed conversation. 

“Can you bring Amy over?” The Doctor requested. “I need to talk to her before I fly this thing.”

River took a deep breath and nodded, heading over to Amy and calling her over to the Doctor, but Amy had a question before she headed to his side.

“So, what happens here? Big Bang Two? What happens to us?” Amy wondered.

“We all wake up where we ought to be,” River shrugged. “None of this ever happens and we don't remember it.”

“River, tell me they come back, too,” Amy begged, desperation thick in her tone when she spoke.

River sighed softly and hung her head. “The Doctor and Ariel will be at the heart of the explosion.”

“So?” Amy prompted.

“So all the cracks in time will close, but they'll be on the wrong side, trapped in the never-space, the void between the worlds. All memory of them will be purged from the universe. They will never have been born,” River explained.

“Why does he have to do this?” Amy wondered, shaking her head aimlessly to the Doctor. “Ariel’s nearly dead already why can’t she do it? Why does it have to be both of them gone?” She asked, her voice cracking as she spoke.

“She’s too weak,” River sighed. “The Doctor has her strapped in with the hope that she’ll be healed by the Pandorica and wake up in her bed after they crash, but if not he says he’s fine with them dying together. He says that’s how it should be,” she muttered. “Now, please. He wants to talk to you before he goes.”

“Not to you?” Amy prompted with a small frown.

“He doesn't really know me yet,” River shrugged, casting a glance back over her shoulder to the Doctor and Ariel. “Now neither of them will.”

Amy smiled sadly at River and nodded, heading back to the Doctor and wincing at the sight of the near dead Ariel.

“Hi,” Amy greeted.

“Amy Pond,” the Doctor smiled. “The girl who waited all night in your garden. Was it worth it?” 

“Shut up,” Amy scoffed, rolling her eyes at the Doctor. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she stared at the pair of them. Her childhood friends. They were both going to be gone, wiped from her memory as if they never existed. “Of course it was.”

“Remember when I said I lied about why I was taking you with us?” The Doctor prompted.

“It’s not important,” Amy shook her head.

“Yes it is,” the Doctor insisted with a nod. “In fact, this is nearly as important as saving Ariel’s life. Amy, your house was too big. That big, empty house, and just you.”

“And Aunt Sharon,” Amy nodded, furiously wiping away the tears that dripped onto her cheeks.

“Where were your Mum and Dad?” The Doctor wondered. “Where was everybody who lived in that big house?”

“I lose my Mum and Dad,” Amy muttered, bowing her head at the memory.

“How?” The Doctor implored, raising an eyebrow at Amy. “What happened to them? Where did they go?”

Amy frowned and her eyes grew wide as she could remember how her parents died. What kind of terrible daughter was she? She couldn’t remember having parents at all.

“I-I don’t-,” she stammered.

“It's okay, it's okay,” the Doctor assured her. “Don't panic, it's not your fault.”

“I don’t even remember,” Amy sobbed.

“There was a crack in time in the wall of your bedroom, and it's been eating away at your life for a long time now,” the Doctor explained.

“How could I just forget?” Amy wondered, tears streaming down her cheeks that she didn’t even bother to wipe away.

“Nothing is ever forgotten,” the Doctor smiled. “Not really. But you have to try,” he instructed.

“Doctor! It’s speeding up!” River cried, watching through the window as the light and explosion from the Tardis grew larger and larger.

Amy stepped up and put the sonic screwdriver back in the Doctor’s pocket with a sad smile. 

“There's going to be a very big bang. Big Bang Two. Try and remember your family and they'll be there,” the Doctor instructed.

“How can I remember them if they never existed?” Amy wondered helplessly.

“Because you're special,” the Doctor nodded. “That crack in your wall, all that time, the universe pouring into your head. You brought Rory back. You can bring them back, too. You just remember and they'll be there,” he assured her.

“But neither of you will,” Amy said, glancing at Ariel and the Doctor with newfound tears in her eyes.

“You'll have your family back,” the Doctor shrugged. “You won't need your imaginary friends any more.”

Amy sniffled and stepped back as the Doctor winked at her and closed the Pandorica.

“Alright, Ariel,” the Doctor sighed, glancing over at the brunette as she drew in a ragged breath. “You and me till the end,” he smiled.

They flew straight into the heart of the explosion and blew up with the Pandorica but rather than dying, the couple were shot through their own timeline, reversing back through their personal histories.

The first rewind was not too far back, going only into last week when it dropped the Doctor and Ariel back into the Tardis. However, the Doctor didn’t know this, so when he sat up with a gasp he smiled when he believed they had made it out alive even if he couldn’t remember how.

“Oh!” The Doctor exclaimed. “Okay. We escaped, then. Brilliant. I love it when I do that,” he hummed. “Legs, yes. Bow tie, cool,” he smiled and placed his hand on the top of his head. His smile fell when he found he was not donning a fez. “I can buy a fez,” he shrugged.

A small groan of pain by his side caught his attention and he turned with large eyes to find Ariel laying beside him, her eyes still closed.

He placed his ear to her lips and listened for the ragged breaths she had been exhaling on the Pandorica. He smiled when he found not only was she still breathing, but she was breathing a lot more frequently now. Sure, it was strained, but it was an improvement. His plan had worked.

He pressed his fingers against where the Dalek had shot her delicately and when she cried in pain, he removed them automatically.

She was still healing. She would need time.

Just then, a distant voice made him frown as he peered across the Tardis. His eyes widened when he spotted himself, Ariel and Amy all marching across the console room.

“Lyle beach. The beach is the best. Automatic sand,” the past Doctor said.

“Automatic sand?” Past Amy scoffed. “What does that mean?”

“It's automated. Totally,” the past Doctor shrugged.

“Oh,” the present Doctor sighed, his face falling as he glanced down at Ariel and realized where they were.

“Cleans up the lolly sticks all by itself,” the past Doctor chuckled.

“Hold on, didn’t you try to take Donna and I there before the Library?” Past Ariel laughed. “Back when River called us away?”

“Yes, but this time that woman will not be pulling me anywhere,” the past Doctor insisted. “I will show you this beach if it’s the death of me.”

“More like the death of me,” Past Ariel moaned, flopping back into the jumpseat as the Doctor’s face fell. “I’m kidding!” She cried. “Oh, God, of course I want to see Space Florida,” she assured him, jumping back up and wrapping her arms around him and kissing his cheek sweetly. “Anywhere I go with you is brilliant.”

“That's last week when we went to Space Florida,” the Doctor remembered with a nod. “We’re rewinding, Ariel,” he said, smiling softly at the girl still in pain on the ground. “Our, our time stream unravelling, erasing. Closing,” he sighed. He glanced up to the wall and spotted a crack in the wall of the Tardis, shining brightly and dimming as the Doctor looked up at it.

“Hello, universe. Goodbye, Doctor. Goodbye, Ariel,” he smiled softly, wrapping his arms around her tightly.

There was a flash and the pair of them appeared three weeks ago on Aickman Street where Amy stood before the paper shop with a small card in her hand.

“Ah, three weeks ago, when she put the card in the window,” the Doctor hummed.

Ariel groaned and her head fell on the Doctor’s shoulder as her past self hopped out of the Tardis and grinned at Amy. 

“Hey!” Past Ariel exclaimed. “Come on, the Doctor wants to put on a movie.”

“Did you convince him to do that?” Amy chuckled. 

“Maybe,” Ariel shrugged. “But it hardly matters,” she shook her head. “I love movie nights on the Tardis!”

The Doctor narrowed his eyes at Amy. He was certain Ariel wouldn’t be able to hear him, but with Amy having the crack in her mind, maybe he could use this to his advantage.

“Amy. Amy!” The Doctor called.

Amy froze in the middle of the street and cast a frown over her shoulder. “Did you hear that?” She murmured.

“Hear what?” Ariel asked.

Amy shook her head. “Must be my imagination,” she sighed. “Come on, maybe we can convince the Doctor to put on Narnia,” she smiled. “We did, after all, visit C.S Lewis.”

“Brilliant!” Ariel exclaimed with a giggle. “Come on,” she said, pulling the redhead back into the Tardis.

“She can hear me,” the Doctor breathed, glancing down at Ariel still on his shoulder. “But if she can hear me,” he mumbled.

Before he could finish his thought, the crack in the street took them all the way back to the crash of the Byzantium.

The Doctor and Ariel appeared in the bushes just as their future selves left Amy with the Clerics.

“Alright, time to get going!” The past Doctor exclaimed and wrapped his arm around the past Ariel before the pair marched off in search of the flight deck.

The Doctor laid Ariel down in the bushes on top of a soft patch of grass. Her wound was healing rapidly, and her heartbeats were rising, but she was still healing. 

Her breathing had returned to normal, but the Doctor knew this next trip should be the most difficult for her. She essentially had to reverse a wound the Dalek had made so it never existed and she had never been near death.

The Doctor took a deep breath and watched as their future selves disappeared entirely before rushing through the bushes and grabbing Amy’s hands.

“Amy, you need to start trusting Ariel. It's never been more important,” the Doctor insisted.

“But she doesn’t look at me like she wants to be my friend,” Amy reasoned. “She looks at me like I’m the enemy.”

“That’s because she’s scared,” the Doctor chuckled. “She’s scared to death right now but you need to trust her.”

“Why is she scared?”

“She’s scared of what’s to come and she’s scared I won’t be there with her when it happens,” the Doctor sighed. This Doctor had learned exactly what was going through the mind of his Ariel at this point in his timeline. He knew everything about her and in return he had granted her the one thing he never told anyone. He told her the answer to the one question echoed throughout time.

“But you and her,” Amy mumbled. “I want that sort of relationship with you,” she mumbled, shrugging slightly.

“No. No, that's not the point,” the Doctor sighed.

Behind him, there was a soft moan of pain. The Doctor looked back with wide eyes. She was still healing. She shouldn’t be in that forest. He had to move to the next point in their timeline quickly.

“Just-,” the Doctor began.

“Doctor, the crack in my wall. How can it be here?” Amy wondered.

“I don't know yet, but I'm working it out. Now, listen. Remember what I told you when you were seven?” The Doctor prompted.

“What did you tell me?” Amy asked.

“Just remember,” the Doctor insisted.

With another cry of pain, the Doctor jumped up and bolted off to help her through the next crack in their timeline, leaving Amy blind and helpless.

The Doctor and Ariel arrived at Amy’s house and Ariel sat up with a sharp gasp. 

“Ariel,” the Doctor breathed, grinning victoriously.

“Doctor?” Ariel mumbled, and she grew teary eyed at the sight of the man she loved. 

“Oh, you have no idea how happy I am to have you here,” the Doctor sighed. He pressed his forehead against hers and delicately brushed her cheekbones with his thumbs. “I thought I’d have to do this without you.”

“Do what?” Ariel wondered, shaking her head aimlessly. She pulled away from the Doctor and cupped his cheek as she watched him with worry in her eyes. “Doctor, where are we? How am I not-?” She began as she felt the wound in her chest. “I’m healed?”

The Doctor nodded. “The Pandorica,” he said. “I flew it into the Tardis explosion to save you.”

“Seriously?” Ariel gasped. “For me? But,” she frowned. “You could have gone on without me. You’ve had others you’ve loved and lost. What makes me so special?”

“Absolutely everything,” the Doctor smiled, kissing her softly. “You’re wrong, Ariel Parsons. There is no way I could have gone on without you,” he said and Ariel grinned. “Besides, they got it wrong. All of them, they got it wrong.”

“Who got what wrong?” Ariel wondered.

“They said you were the girl that would destroy the universe. The girl that would destroy time itself but they were wrong. To save you, I restarted the universe. You saved the whole of creation. You and you alone Ariel Parsons.”

Ariel choked back a sob and when tears of pure happiness threatened to spill over, she settled for an overwhelmingly happy kiss from the Doctor.

“Well, then, what happens now? What are we doing now?” She wondered with a small frown.

“We’re rewinding,” the Doctor sighed as he glanced back at where they had landed.

Amy’s house. The night she waited.

“I took us into the heart of the explosion but there was a cost. We’ll be erased from history.”

Ariel’s eyes widened and she glanced over at the small form of Amelia Pond, asleep on her suitcase.

She took a deep breath and nodded. “Well, alright then,” she said. “If we had to die at least we got to do it together.”

The Doctor grinned at her, his hearts flooded with the love he held for this woman. “Have I ever told you how much I love you?”

“Not nearly enough,” Ariel giggled.

The Doctor chuckled and kissed her once again. When he pulled away, he sighed softly and glanced at Amelia. “Right, then,” he nodded. “We’d better get her inside.”

He stood up and held out his hand to Ariel to help her up. She accepted it, but as she was standing up, she cried out and clutched her chest in pain.

“Ariel?!” The Doctor exclaimed, rushing before her with large eyes. 

“It’s fine. I’m fine,” she assured him with a shake of her head. “It’s still sore is all. I wasn’t expecting it.”

The Doctor sighed softly and nodded, accepting the answer.

Ariel narrowed her eyes at him as she remembered a single word he had told her before she thought she was going to die. “You,” she frowned. “You told me your name.”

The Doctor turned and smiled softly at her. “I wanted you to know it. Above anything else, I wanted my wife to know.”

“But we’re not married yet,” Ariel reasoned.

“But you were dying,” the Doctor retorted. “I was going to tell you at the wedding, but if you were going to die I wanted you to know.”

Ariel grinned up at him and shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. You told me when we first met that you chose your name because you wanted it to represent who you were or who you strived to be. Knowing that, you’ll always be my Doctor,” she said, cupping his cheek delicately. “The name you’ve chosen is your name, no matter what you were born with.”

The Doctor was about to respond when Amelia mumbled in her sleep and they shared an amused smile. 

“We better get her inside before she freezes,” the Doctor muttered.

“Good idea,” Ariel chuckled softly.

They walked up to Amelia and the Doctor picked her up and carried her bridal style while Ariel grabbed her suitcase.

They headed inside the house up to her room and Ariel placed the girl’s suitcase in the closet while the Doctor tucked her into bed. 

He collapsed back into a wooden chair beside the bed and Ariel stood by his side, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. He held her hand and smiled softly. 

“When you wake up, you'll have a Mum and Dad, and you won't even remember us,” the Doctor said, grinning sadly at the redhead. “Well, you'll remember us a little,” he shrugged. “We’ll be a stories in your head. But that's okay. We're all stories in the end. Just make it a good one, eh?” He smiled. “Because it was, you know. It was the best,” he sighed. “The daft old man who stole a magic box and ran away and the mad woman that followed,” he said and Ariel chuckled softly. 

“Did I ever tell you that I stole it?” He asked Amelia with a small frown. “Well, I borrowed it,” he shrugged. “I was always going to take it back.”

“No, you weren’t,” Ariel laughed.

“No, I wasn’t,” he resigned with a sigh. “Oh, that box. Amy, you'll dream about that box. It'll never leave you. Big and little at the same time. Brand new and ancient, and the bluest blue ever. And the times we had, eh? Would have had. Never had,” he corrected with a small frown. “In your dreams, they'll still be there. The Doctor, Ariel Parsons, Amy Pond, and the days that never came,” he hummed.

Ariel winced as across the room the crack in the wall grew brighter. The Doctor followed her line of sight and simply sighed at the crack.

“The cracks are closing,” the Doctor nodded. “But they can't close properly until we’re on the other side,” he mumbled.

“It’s alright,” Ariel nodded. “The two of us, we’ve rewinded as far as we need to,” she sighed. “If it’s time to go, I’m glad it could be with the one person who gave me something to live and die for,” she smiled.

The Doctor beamed up at her and held her hand tightly as he turned his focus back to Amy. “We don't belong here anymore,” he nodded. “If you’re ready then I’ll be damned if I don’t go with you. I think I'll skip the rest of the rewind. I hate repeats,” he mumbled. “Live well. Love Rory. Bye bye, Pond,” he said. He stood up and leant down to kiss Amelia’s forehead.

Ariel smiled and stepped up to Amelia, pulling the covers higher over the child’s small frame and kissing her forehead as well. 

“You’ll be magnificent, Amelia Pond. I just know it,” Ariel promised.

She turned to the Doctor and he took a deep breath. 

“Ready?” The Doctor prompted.

“As I’ll ever be,” Ariel shrugged.

“Right then,” the Doctor nodded and turned his focus back to the crack in the wall. “Together?”

“Always,” Ariel smiled. 

Together, the Doctor and Ariel Parsons marched into the light of the crack in the wall and accepted their fate.


	28. A Wedding Never To Be Forgotten

A single tear dropped onto the front of the blue diary as Amy’s mind burned with something she didn’t know how to find.

It was as though the diary presented some door to her mind. Some door she had never seen and could now not locate the key for no matter how desperately she wanted to get in.

Her eyes moved across the room as though searching for something that simply was not there. She spotted a man with a bow tie. A woman with brown hair and stormy grey eyes shining against her porcelain complexion.

She knocked the door in her mind off its hinges to finally get inside. When she did, she knew that the wedding could not carry on for a minute, not even a second longer until the two people she cared about most in the entire universe were there to see it.

“Shut up, Dad!” She snapped, bursting out of her chair.

“Amy?” Rory mumbled, unsure of what she was doing in the midst of their wedding reception.

“Amelia?” Augustus Pond gasped, overwhelmed by the way his daughter had spoken to him in front of all those people.

“Sorry, but shut up, please,” Amy amended, shaking her head and hoping nobody thought ill of her “There are two people missing. Important people. And trust me, they are so _so_ important.”

“Amy, what’s wrong?” Rory murmured, trying to pull his wife back into his seat so they could address this more quietly but failing.

“Sorry. Sorry, everyone,” Amy sighed. “But when I was a kid, I had two imaginary friends.”

“Oh no, not this again,” Tabetha Pond moaned, placing her head in her hand and taking a deep breath as though asking for strength in order to cope with her daughter’s imagination.

“The raggedy Doctor and his mermaid Ariel,” she remembered, smiling sadly as she recalled how much Ariel would have hated to be addressed by that nickname. “But they weren’t imaginary,” she insisted. “They were real.”

“The psychiatrists we sent her to,” Tabetha sighed, recalling how that was now just money down the drain.

“I remember you. I remember!” Amy cried. “I brought the others back, I can bring you two home, too. Raggedy man, Ariel the mermaid, I remember the pair of you, and you are both late for my wedding!” She yelled.

There was a moment of pause and when Amy worried they might not be coming, the glasses began to rattle on the tables and a newfound surge of confidence rushed through her.

“I found you. Both of you. I found you in words, like you knew I would,” Amy hummed. “That's why you told me the story the brand new, ancient blue box,” she beamed.

A strong wind circled through the hall and the balloons began to get blown around as Amy just remembered the story she heard when she was a little kid. “The daft old man who stole a magic box and ran away and the mad woman that followed,” she chuckled. “Oh, clever,” she remarked. “Very clever.”

“Amy, what is it?” Rory frowned, desperate to know what was the cause of the strange wind.

“Something old. Something new. Something borrowed. Something blue,” Amy breathed.

The Tardis materialized with the familiar wheezing they all knew and loved right in the middle of the room. Amy jumped up onto the table, uncaring of the china she destroyed as she ran up to the Tardis.

“It’s the Doctor and Ariel,” Rory gasped. “How could we forget them? He was the stripper at my stag party and Ariel wouldn’t stop taking the mickey when she found out.”

He glanced across the table and found Amy and his own family greeting him with large eyes and equally confused faces.

“Long story,” he mumbled, offering nothing but a shrug to the family.

His eyes widened as all the memories flooded back to him, including the memory of Ariel being near death last he had seen her. He sucked in a sharp breath and without bothering to offer an explanation to the families, he rushed out to Amy’s side as she knocked furiously on the Tardis door.

“Okay, Doctor!” Amy called. “Did I surprise you this time?”

There was a moment of pause before the Doctor swung the door open and beamed at them donning a large black top hat, a black coat and tails.

“Er, yeah. Completely astonished. Never expected that,” the Doctor sighed.

“As happy as we are to see you,” Rory frowned. “Is Ariel in there?”

The Doctor simply smiled at them and stepped to the side. “Why don’t you see for yourself?” He prompted and gestured to Ariel as though she were the next greatest miracle to walk upon the Earth.

She flashed an embarrassed grin at the couple as she pulled on her heels. “Hi, yeah, sorry. I was just getting my heels on,” she told them. “It is a wedding after all,” she shrugged. “Gotta look my best.”

The Doctor beamed down at her and knew without a shadow of a doubt that she did. She donned a white long sleeve shirt and a beautiful light blue skirt with white heels and her hair pulled back into a braid.

Amy let out a cry that was either a sob of relief or pure happiness as she rushed up to the brunette and hugged her tightly, startling the young woman as she lifted her off her feet.

“You’re alive!” Amy cried. “Oh, my God, you’re alive,” she gasped as she placed the brunette on her feet.

The girl simply giggled and held Amy’s hand. “Of course, I’m alive,” Ariel laughed. “I knew if I went and died on you, you’d be sure to kill me.”

Amy chuckled and hugged the girl one last time before she and the Doctor turned to address the stunned expressions of their families.

“Hello, everyone!” The Doctor exclaimed and Ariel giggled as she held onto his arm. “We’re Amy's imaginary friends,” he announced. “But we came anyway.”

“You absolutely, definitely may kiss the bride,” Amy said firmly, waltzing up to the Doctor.

He stopped her in her tracks with a single finger to her lips. “Amelia, from now on I shall be leaving the kissing duties to the brand new Mister Pond,” the Doctor hummed. He clapped a hand on Rory’s shoulder and beamed at the man.

Rory smiled for a moment before his brain caught up with what his ears heard and he frowned. “No, I’m not Mister Pond,” Rory shook his head. “That’s not how it works.”

“Yeah, it is,” the Doctor shrugged, unwilling to state otherwise.

Rory chuckled and shook his head at the Doctor as he conceded with a slow nod. “Yeah, it is.”

“Besides,” the Doctor sighed as he spun back around to the brunette who was glaring daggers of jealousy at him and Amy. “I have my own fiancée to kiss,” he hummed.

“You’re bloody right you do,” Ariel grinned. He chuckled and pulled her in for a deep kiss which she responded to happily.

Amy crowed and the crowd cheered and the Doctor pulled away with a large smile as he glanced around at the group.

“Right then, everyone,” the Doctor said, clapping his hands together as he beamed at them. “I'll move my box. You're going to need the space,” he hummed.

He grabbed Ariel’s hand and pulled her back into the Tardis, twirling her proudly as he did so while she just laughed.

The Doctor closed the door, but opened it back up momentarily for one last remark to the happy couple.

“We only came for the dancing,” he shrugged and Ariel laughed loudly as he closed the doors once again and started up the Tardis.

~~~

Later that evening, Ariel laughed as she watched the Doctor pull the most hilarious dance moves she had ever seen to Queen’s _Crazy Little Thing Called Love._ It was utterly adorable to watch and Ariel couldn’t help but hope he pulled those dance moves at her wedding just so she had another chance to marvel them.

Ariel walked up to the Doctor with a drink in one hand and with the other she grabbed his.

The Doctor twirled her, as though showing off the small bit of perfection he had somehow managed to get and hold onto against all odds.

Ariel laughed as he dipped her, careful to not spill her drink before kissing every inch of her face, utterly in love with her. He was never going to risk losing her, not ever again. Not if he had a say in it.

They danced together proudly and Amy grinned as she watched the two. For so long she had wanted a long like theirs. It seemed every trip they went on just reaffirmed their love for each other.

He was her Doctor and she was his Ariel.

No matter what they had faced, they would always find their way back to each other. Rory ran up behind Amy and wrapped his arms around her waist and she laughed as he lifted her off her feet.

He dropped her to her feet and she spun in his arms, cupping his cheek delicately. Looking into Rory’s eyes she knew she’d never needed to search for a love like one the Doctor and Ariel had because she had it all along. Right there in front of her was the man she would give anything to stand beside for the rest of her days.

The evening progressed until night dawned and most of the wedding party grew tired.

The tune playing was something slow and soft allowing Rory and Amy to dance together like there was nobody else in the room.

Ariel had fallen asleep long ago and the Doctor sat in one of the tables by the door as he pulled her hair out of the braid and combed through it softly. No matter the location or the nightmares that may be plaguing her, that very action always helped her sleep.

The Doctor smiled as he watched Rory and Amy slow dance. “Two thousand years. The boy who waited. Good on you, mate,” the Doctor mumbled.

He took a deep breath and stopped combing through Ariel’s hair, tapping her temple gently to awake her.

Ariel groaned and rolled over in his lap, shaking her head. “Five more minutes, Doctor,” she mumbled.

In hindsight, this very phrase could have held a depressing effect when considering the fact that she was only twenty and others might ask for five more minutes from their parents at that age. Ariel, on the other hand, is her barely waking sleep ridden mind, had spoken to the Doctor. She did not know for a fact it was him waking her, and yet she had grown so used to not having parents to be awoken but, that she spoke to the one man she had been sleeping in such close quarters with for just over two years.

The Doctor chuckled softly and tapped her again. “We should get going,” he mumbled.

“Why?” Ariel groaned, turning in his lap so her face could look up at his.

“They’re happy,” the Doctor sighed. “They can’t lose that now.”

“Who says they would?” Ariel shrugged.

“If they keep traveling with us, you know they would,” the Doctor nodded. “The Tardis is no place for a married couple.”

“And yet, you proposed to me,” Ariel reminded him with a small smile, holding up her left hand as though he had forgotten.

“That’s different,” the Doctor shook his head.

“Mmm, I know,” Ariel sighed. “Are we really going to leave without saying goodbye, though?”

“You know I hate goodbyes,” the Doctor mumbled.

“I suppose,” Ariel nodded. “Alright,” she sighed. “Let’s go,” she said, sitting up in her own seat.

The Doctor smiled and held out his hand which she gladly took before the pair of them crept out of the wedding hall and back to the Tardis.

“It feels weird going on without them,” Ariel remarked with a small frown. “I used to be so upset that we wouldn’t be traveling alone together anymore and now I can’t imagine traveling without them.”

“If you really want, we’ll come back one day,” the Doctor nodded. “But for now we should leave the happy couple to their own devices.”

“And before we do, we can plan our own wedding,” she smiled, clinging to the Doctor’s arm as she looked up at him in a happy daze.

“If that’s what you want we can do it,” the Doctor nodded. “You get to choose. Wherever and whenever you want in all of time and space.”

“Oh, none of that matters,” Ariel sighed, dismissing the line he used on all his new companions with a wave of her hand. “So long as I’m with you,” she smiled. “I mean, blimey, look at Amy,” she said, gesturing back to the large two story house. “She had the wedding in her own house and it was just as beautiful as if it had been on some gorgeous alien planet with a choir and doves flying in the background.”

The Doctor chuckled and nodded, grinning down at Ariel as he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close to his chest.

“Well, wherever you want to go, I’ll be happy,” he nodded. Ariel beamed up at him and he placed a firm kiss to her temple.

Just as they were about to turn and head back into the Tardis, a voice stopped them cold in their tracks.

“Did you dance?” River asked, walking out to greet them with a large smile. “Well, you always dance at weddings, don't you, Doctor?”

“You tell me,” the Doctor hummed.

River beamed at Ariel and sighed softly. “Spoilers,” she shrugged.

The Doctor chuckled and shook his head, already having known that was the answer he would receive.

“You were always less ecstatic, if I remember,” River remarked with a small frown. “You’d dance if the Doctor was but you never enjoyed dancing on your own.”

“Ah, you’re not wrong there,” Ariel sighed, shrugging at the woman who just grinned at her. She walked over and pulled the brunette into a tight hug.

“Glad to see you’re alright,” River murmured into the girl’s ear.

“Ah, you can’t get rid of me yet,” Ariel assured her with a smile as she pulled away.

The Doctor stepped up behind Ariel and passed the blue diary and the vortex manipulator back to River. “The writing's all back, but I didn't peek,” he assured her.

River hardly believed him and raised an eyebrow at Ariel to be sure. “He didn’t peek,” Ariel promised. “He tried twice, though,” she said, giggling at the memory.

River chuckled softly and shook her head. “Well, thank you.”

They each paused for a moment, a thought popping in both Ariel and the Doctor’s mind simultaneously and they shared a frown at the unspoken question.

The Doctor was the one to voice it, treading carefully as he spoke. “River, a-are you married?” He asked.

“Yes,” River replied rather bluntly. “Twice actually, though both of them hold a special place in my heart.”

“Who are they?” Ariel wondered with a small frown.

River just looked up at the Doctor and Ariel with a knowing grin. They were still so young in her timeline. She wished she could be there to watch it all over again, though she knew when it ended it would not end well.

She wished she could tell Ariel that what she thought to be impossible could and would happen and it would be the very thing that ended her travels with the Doctor forever.

“River, who are you?” The Doctor hummed.

“You're going to find out very soon now,” River sighed. “And I'm sorry, but that's when everything changes.”

The was the day Ariel found out what she never thought possible was indeed happening. That was the day their worlds all flipped on an axis and nothing was the same ever again.

River pressed the button on her vortex manipulator before they could question her any further and disappeared from that spot.

“Ah, I hate when she does that,” Ariel sighed.

“You and me both,” the Doctor chuckled. He wrapped one arm around Ariel’s shoulders while with the other hand he fished his keys out of his pocket and unlocked the door.

They stepped inside and Ariel sighed as she combed through her hair, still in fluffy waves after the Doctor had pulled it out of her braid.

“So, where to next, Miss Parsons?” The Doctor prompted.

“I dunno,” Ariel sighed. “I sort of want to visit our friends. Y’know, Martha, Mickey, Jack, Sarah Jane even if we get the chance.”

The Doctor smiled wistfully as he thought of a reunion with all his previous companions in the Tardis once again. “Yeah, I suppose we could do that,” he nodded. “Though we will need to make pit stops along the way.”

“Pit stops?” Ariel frowned, taking the top hat off his head and twirling around as she placed in on her head with a smile.

“The Tardis exploded for a reason,” the Doctor nodded, draping his scarf around her neck with a quick grin as he headed up the steps to the console room. “And River said when she was leaving Amy’s house some voice said that silence has fallen. Whatever that is, it’s still out there.”

“Fair enough,” Ariel shrugged as she leapt up the steps to his side.

Before the Doctor could actually set the controls, the door creaked open and Amy poked her head inside with a frown. “Oi!” She snapped at the couple who spun to her.

Amy held open the door for Rory before darting inside to them. “Where are you two off to? You haven’t even said goodbye,” she said as Rory stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

“Oh, I was opposed to leaving without a goodbye from the very start,” Ariel moaned.

“Sorry, you two,” the Doctor sighed. “Shouldn't have slipped away. Bit busy, you know?”

“The two of you just saved the whole of space and time?” Rory reminded them with a small frown. “Take the evening off. Maybe a bit of tomorrow,” he suggested and Ariel laughed as he just shrugged nonchalantly.

“Space and time isn't safe yet,” the Doctor shook his head. “Something drew the Tardis to this particular date, and blew it up. Why?” He wondered. “And why now?”

The phone began ringing and Ariel placed the Doctor’s top hat on the console before answering.

“Hello, the Tardis,” she said. “Oh, hello?” She frowned as the voice came out all muffled. She plugged a finger in her ear. “I’m sorry this is a very bad line,” she apologized. “What? Yes, this is Ariel Parsons,” she nodded. “Is the Doctor here? He’s standing right beside me, why?”

As she talked fascination began to swirl around the remaining trio at who or what could be on the other end of the line.

“Yes, I get that you’ll need both of us but if you could just tell me what-,” she was cut off by the individual on the other end explaining the situation rapidly. “No, no, no, but that's not possible,” she frowned. “She was sealed into the seventh Obelisk. We were at the prayer meeting,” she remembered, nodding to the Doctor who grinned at the sight of a new adventure on the horizon and an interesting one at the sound of it. “Well, no, I get that it's important,” she moaned. “You don’t have to start yelling. An Egyptian goddess loose on the Orient Express, in space, does sound bad,” she hummed. “Oh, give us a mo,” she snapped. She placed the phone receiver to her chest so the King couldn’t hear.

Ariel raised an eyebrow at the Doctor and he nodded, smiling widely at her.

She sighed softly and turned to the couple feigning disappointment. “Sorry, something’s come up,” she shrugged. “This’ll have to be goodbye.”

Amy and Rory shared a look and though the Doctor and Ariel already knew, or at least hoped at, what they were going to say it was still amusing to watch.

“Yeah, I think it's goodbye,” Amy agreed with a soft sigh and a nod. “Do you think it's goodbye?” She asked, raising a brow at her husband.

“Definitely goodbye,” Rory nodded.

Amy marched out to the front door, leant outside and to all of Leadworth cried, “goodbye!”

The Doctor and Ariel shared a grin and the Doctor took the phone from Ariel.

“Don’t worry about a thing, your Majesty,” the Doctor hummed, glancing back and grinning at his three closest friends. “We’re on our way.”


	29. A Weekend With Sarah Jane

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a couple notes before I start off: 
> 
> First, this is a two part episode of the Sarah Jane Adventures. If you have not seen the Sarah Jane Adventures, I give enough background for you to be able to read without a problem, but if you want to watch the episodes before reading you can do so here: https://www1.1movies.se/series/the-sarah-jane-adventures-season-4/28540/70801-watch-online-free.html
> 
> Second, the first half of this chapter will not contain the Doctor or Ariel. Think of it like those episodes without the Doctor, but he comes in at the very end.
> 
> Finally, third, I have changed some history, personality traits, and lines of the story. I didn't change much like I usually don't but if you are a big fan of the Sarah Jane Adventures you will notice so bear with me.

Just a few weeks after the Doctor, Ariel, Amy and Rory all said goodbye to Leadworth a Unit fleet arrived on Sarah Jane’s doorstep. 

The leader was a small petite woman named Colonel Tia Karim, there to bring somber news to Sarah Jane’s doorstep. She walked out with Clyde and Rani following closely behind. Clyde was a young man with short hair and dark skin, he liked to start up trouble and had even got himself into a major mishap with the Doctor a few years back at Sarah Jane’s wedding.    


After they had gotten stuck in a time loop and the Doctor’s Tardis was phasing in and out of reality, he made the mistake of touching it and got zapped with some strange blue energy. The Doctor told him that it was Artron energy, a part of the Tardis. It wouldn’t harm him, but he was sure to remember the mistake for years to come.   


On the other hand, Rani was a young Indian girl who was smart, kind and knew just what to say or do when the time was right. She met the Doctor, but only for a short amount of time, not getting such a close interaction as Clyde had. She had managed to catch a glimpse of Ariel once at the wedding.    


The Doctor claimed the young brunette was asleep in the Tardis while all the events they faced were unfolding and Rani was amused by the very idea that one woman could sleep through all that, but the Doctor assured her that Ariel had slept through far worse to complain.    


Right as the Doctor had been leaving, she spotted a young brunette woman walking into the console room and chat animatedly with the Doctor. She caught Rani spying and tossed a wink at the young girl before the Doctor closed the door and shut off their vision of each other.

“Stop right there,” Sarah Jane snapped as the soldiers began marching forward towards her home. “I'm not having soldiers on my property,” she said. 

“Everything okay?” Sarah’s neighbor and the father to the young girl that helped her often, Rani, called.

“Yes, fine,” Sarah assured the man. “They're just leaving,” she said pointedly, staring at the soldiers with a clear warning in her eyes that said they  _ should  _ be leaving.

“Miss Smith, my name is Colonel Tia Karim, representing the Unified Intelligence Task Force,” Colonel Karim explained as though Sarah didn’t know a Unit officer from the sight of one. “If I could have a word in private?” She requested, raising an eyebrow at the woman and stepping forward as though to make way into her home.

“No, no, no. You're not getting any closer,” Sarah Jane snapped, holding up both hands to stop the soldiers from advancing. “Just tell me, what do you want?” She demanded.

“I'm sorry, but it's my solemn duty to inform you that your friends, the Doctor and Miss Ariel Parsons, are dead,” Colonel Karim announced and Sarah Jane paled.

“Don’t be stupid,” Clyde scoffed, standing right by Sarah’s side.

“They can’t be,” Rani shrugged.

They had both heard magnificent stories from Sarah Jane about the Doctor and Ariel. In fact, the Doctor himself had even told them about his girlfriend Ariel Parsons back when he helped them out on Sarah Jane’s wedding day. There was no way they could be dead. The two always found their way out of whatever situation they got stuck in. To think them dead would be maddening.

“Last Sunday at 1700 hours, the bodies of a Time Lord and a human were returned to the Earth. UNIT scientists have checked the DNA results, and it's definitely them,” Colonel Karim assured them with a firm nod. “I'm sorry, Miss Smith, for your losses. Sorry for the whole wide world, because they’re gone. The Doctor and Ariel are gone. They’re dead,” she said as though the facts had not even begun to sink in her own mind.

Sarah Jane begrudgingly allowed only Colonel Karim up to the attic where Mister Smith and the others usually stayed, passing most of the time.

“The Doctor and Ariel were found ten thousand light years away by a race called the Shansheeth,” Colonel Karim explained. “They sent us this. It's called an epitaph stone,” she said, holding up a small smooth stone for them all to see. “It's a recording device, the equivalent to a death notice. The Shansheeth are what you might call intergalactic undertakers,” she shrugged.

“Oh, come on,” Sarah Jane scoffed. “This is ridiculous. There's no such thing.”

“Sarah Jane, I can confirm the Shansheeth are known throughout the universe as the carers of the dead,” Mister Smith announced. “It is said they trawl the battlefields of outer space, looking for heroes to bring home.”

Sarah Jane rolled her eyes and snatched the stone from Colonel Karim. “Yeah? Well, that's quite enough from you, thanks. Just shut up, and play this thing,” she snapped, placing the stone inside the computer.

Mister Smith processed the stone and projected a hologram of what looked to be a giant vulture in the center of the room.

“I bring condolences from the Claw Shansheeth of the 15th Funeral Fleet upon this terrible day,” the vulture said, hanging his head in despair.

“Well, as if you'd trust that thing?” Sarah Jane scoffed and Mister Smith paused the recording. “Just look at him.”

“Hey, that's not fair,” Rani frowned. “Since when did we judge by appearances?”

“Since this lot started lying,” Sarah Jane retorted, pointing directly at Colonel Karim.

Rani sighed and shook her head. She stood up and walked over to Sarah Jane’s side, understanding the woman was having trouble grasping all of this. 

“Okay. Look, I hope this is all a big mistake, I really do,” Rani insisted. “For the Doctor and Ariel’s sakes we've got to find the facts, which means we stop and we listen,” she instructed Sarah Jane.

Sarah Jane sighed softly and nodded, knowing if the shoe was on the other foot the pair would do the same for her.  “Yeah,” she mumbled.

“Thanks,” Rani smiled. “Mister Smith?” She prompted, imploring the computer to continue playing the recording of the Shansheeth.

“The Shansheeth did journey to the wastelands of the Crimson Heart, whereupon we found the bodies of the last Time Lord and a single brave human. Witnesses say that they perished saving the lives of five hundred children from the Scarlet Monstrosity.”

“Sounds like them,” Clyde mumbled.

“The Doctor's home world is long since lost, but legends talk of his love for the Earth. Therefore, the Shansheeth will return the Doctor to the human race along with the great Ariel Parsons who finds her home on the very same planet. Oh, weep for them, peoples of the Earth. Mourn their losses, for the universe feels darker tonight,” the Shansheeth sighed and with that, the recording ended.

“So, what do you think?” Rani prompted.

“UNIT will take charge of the funeral in conjunction with the Shansheeth. The Doctor and Ariel wished to have their funerals together if ever such a case did arise and as such we will support their wishes. We'll be using UNIT Base Five, situated inside Mount Snowdon. We can arrange transport and accommodation for all of you,” Colonel Karim assured them.

“Thank you,” Sarah Jane smiled. 

“Then you’ll come?” Colonel Karim prompted, unable to keep the tone of surprise out of her voice.

“Oh, yes,” Sarah hummed. “Nothing's going to make me miss this. I'll be there,” she promised.

That afternoon, Clyde waited with Rani and her father for the limousine from UNIT to arrive. It pulled up just outside Sarah Jane’s driveway and she marched out with an oddly placed smile on her lips.

“Bang on time,” she hummed. Haresh took his daughter’s backs and helped put them in the car while Sarah just smiled kindly at the man. “Don't worry, Haresh, I'll look after them,” she assured the man.

He simply nodded and sighed softly. “Sorry to hear about your bad news.”

“There's no need,” Sarah Jane dismissed with a wave of her hand. “I'm fine,” she assured him as she got inside the car.

She was fine not because she had accepted the deaths of the Doctor and Ariel Parsons, but rather because she knew they weren’t dead. They couldn’t be. Someone was faking their deaths and while Sarah Jane had expected this from the Doctor she was surprised to find it happening to Ariel as well.

The brunette had been only eighteen last she saw her and while she had not heard much of what the woman had experienced since that time, she had kept in contact with Jack Harkness and the Time Agent tried his best to keep her updated on all that he heard from the Doctor and Ariel.

She supposed the woman had gained enough traction with the enemies the Doctor had so often faced and so the universe began to know more of her and not have a very pretty opinion if they felt similarly about the Doctor.

Clyde waved goodbye to Haresh with a large grin. “Keep the school running without me, sir,” he instructed. “While I head off in my nice, big, posh motor,” he hummed, caressing the roof of the car before he was met with a nasty zap.

He cried out and clutched his hand, frowning at the blue energy he swore he had seen just moments prior. “Ow. Did you see that?” He asked, unsure if Haresh had seen the blue energy he spotted. 

“Static electricity,” Haresh chuckled. “If you paid more attention in class,” he hummed as he headed back to his home, waving a final goodbye to the car. 

Clyde frowned and shook his head, deciding the blue energy had likely been his imagination as he stepped inside the car.

As the drove to the UNIT base, Sarah Jane used the time to think on how Ariel and the Doctor must have grown since she last saw them.

She remembered the Doctor waving goodbye to her and Luke after saving her son from being hit by a car, but she had not seen Ariel. She assumed Ariel had left, passed on, or had broken up with the Doctor until Jack Harkness told her otherwise.

She didn’t know much about their relationship with Jack and how it might have evolved over time, but she did know Jack though himself to be a sort of older brother to Ariel. She heard when Ariel was distraught she would go to Jack for guidance. She was happy for the young girl when she thought of how she had a figure to reach out to outside of the Doctor whenever she needed help.

Whenever Sarah Jane thought of Ariel, the memory of watching the poor girl’s mother die always came along with it. She remembered how devastated the girl had been when her last bit of family died right in front of her. To that day, she still regretted being unable to console her simply because she didn’t know her better. Though, when she remembered how Jack so easily managed to console her it made sense that Ariel would go to him as an older brother searching for guidance. 

If Ariel had been traveling with the Doctor this long though, it made sense why other species would begin to see her as a threat. Traveling with the Doctor and being in such a tight relationship with him did not come without consequences and Sarah Jane was certain Ariel knew some of them and they were likely just facing another. 

However, when her thoughts wandered to the Doctor they were less hopeful in comparison to her memories of Ariel and how the girl might have grown.

Last she saw of the Doctor, he looked sad and almost in mourning (in part leading her to believe Ariel had passed on), but she realized his sadness was not for Ariel but rather for himself. If she was right, the Doctor had paid her one last visit before regeneration.

If that was the case, then she might be actually going to the Doctor’s funeral not having a clue what he looked like.

He had been one of her best friends throughout her life and now if this truly was his death, she’d be going to it with the memory of a face worn by a man long since dead and gone.

With that thought, they arrived at Unit Base Five and all got their belongings out of the car. 

They were quickly met by Colonel Karim who guided them through the corridor as she explained the situation.

“We've allocated bedrooms,” Colonel Karim told them. “The funeral will take place at 0900 hours tomorrow, so that gives you time to acclimatise. The doors to the funeral wing will be sealed at 2100 hours. This is still a working military base, so you'll only have access to the specified areas.”

“That's nice,” Sarah Jane sighed. “Bring us all this way to tell us we're not trusted,” she muttered.

“So who else is coming?” Rani wondered.

“Well, it's all been a bit of a rush,” Colonel Karim admitted. “The Brigadier's stranded in Peru, and Miss Shaw can't make it back from Moonbase until Sunday.”

“What about Captain Jack Harkness?” Sarah Jane prompted with a raised brow.

“Of Torchwood?” Colonel Karim implored with a small frown and Sarah Jane nodded.

“Last I heard, he and Ariel were fairly close,” Sarah Jane said.

“Ah, well, he’s stranded on planet Zog,” Colonel Karim sighed, and continued walking, clearly trying to hide the alarm that they had missed one of Ariel’s close companions.

“Right,” Sarah Jane mumbled, not bothering to mention that the last time Jack messaged her was three days ago saying he was starting up Torchwood with a couple Americans he met.

They rounded the corner and they all came to a freezing stop when they spotted several little blue aliens at work on the cables.

“Wait. You've got Graske?” Rani frowned at the sight of them, remembered the red-colored demons she had battled not too long ago. “What are you doing with Graske?”

“I knew it,” Sarah Jane hummed, clenching her jaw and shaking her head at the sight. “I said there was something going on.”

“Sorry, what's the problem?” Colonel Karim frowned, not understanding why the trio were reacting as they did.

“We've met Graske before, and believe me, they're trouble,” Clyde nodded.

“Oh, they're not Graske,” Colonel Karim shook her head. “They're Groske,” she assured them.

One of the Groske walked up and solidified her words with a firm nod. “Groske very different. Groske are blue. Hate Graske. Graske make me stamp my feet,” he said, emphasizing what he said with a stamp of his foot.

“The Groske were stranded on Earth in 2006. We took them in, and they've been earning their keep as workmen,” Colonel Karim explained.

“Groske build rocket for funeral,” the Groske nodded. “Come and see. Come and see,” he said, waving the group forward to the silo at the end of the corridor.

The doors opened and they walked out to see a large rocket, towering over them all at the very center of the room.

“Rocket X-15 will take the Doctor and Ariel’s bodies into space, sealed inside a lead-lined coffin,” Colonel Karim sighed. “Then they'll be set free. In death as in life.”

“Very poetic,” Sarah Jane hummed, not believing a word from her lips.

“I think it's beautiful,” Rani nodded, genuinely meaning it when she spoke. “Just what they deserve.”

“What about the Tardis?” Sarah Jane wondered.

“There was no sign of it,” Colonel Karim shook her head. “The bodies were found all alone,” she sighed.

“Blimey, though. Not so bad way to go. That's a real, proper rocket,” Clyde grinned up at the rocket.

The Groske walked up to Clyde and winced as he stood by his side. “Boy smells,” the Groske remarked.

Rani laughed while Clyde’s eyes grew wide at the rude comment.

“Thanks a bunch. You short little titch,” Clyde snapped.

“Clyde, of all the things for you to laugh at, height?” Rani laughed.

Clyde winced at the remark but the Groske just laughed, nodding in agreement with Rani. 

“Yeah, you smelly bad smell boy,” the Groske said.

“You blue, bluey blueness,” Clyde retorted, trying to one up him and failing tremendously.

“Anyway,” Colonel Karim sighed, desperate to pull attention away from the pair of them. “This area's about to be sealed off as part of the curfew. I can take you to your bedrooms. Then the Shansheeth are holding a gathering of remembrance,” she informed them.

The group nodded and followed Colonel Karim out, but before they left, Clyde turned to the Groske and snapped, “just watch it, you.”

“But you see?” The Groske hummed, pointed to Clyde’s palm as the blue energy began to spark in his hand once again.

Clyde held up his hand and his eyes inflated at the very sight. 

“So bright,” the Groske hummed. “You smell of time.”

“What do you mean?” Clyde frowned.

“They are coming,” the Groske mumbled and with that, he ran off before Clyde could even get the chance to understand what just happened.

~~~

Later that evening, the trio went to the remembrance ceremony Colonel Karim had told them about. 

There were several Shansheeths across the room offering their condolences to anyone and everyone who entered. At the very front of the room, there was a single coffin where the Doctor and Ariel’s bodies supposedly laid. 

Colonel Karim claimed they requested to be in a coffin together if ever they did die at the same time. 

They took their seats and took the time to remember all that they had lost. They thought back on all their memories of the Doctor and Ariel, but the ceremony was quickly interrupted by the arrival of a strange blonde woman.

The sound of a vase shattering interrupted the entire ceremony and they all looked back to find the woman kneeling on the ground, apologizing endlessly as she cleaned up the flowers she had brought.

“Oh, sorry, just ignore me,” the blonde woman winced. “I brought flowers, which was silly, really. I mean, there's no need, is there? Well, you know, I saw these lilies, and I thought they were appropriate. Oh, and the vase was so beautiful. It was hand-blown by Asian Argentines. I don't suppose it was actually hand-blown, because, glass would get really, really hot.”

“I am so sorry for you loss,” one of the Shansheeth said.

“Oh, thank you,” the woman grinned, beaming up at the Shansheeth. “Aren’t you lovely?” 

“I’m so sorry for your loss,” another Shansheeth said just behind her.

“I know, it's terrible, isn't it? You are so gorgeous. I wish I had my glasses. You're like a vulture. A great big alien vulture. Babe, aren't they wonderful?” She asked, hugging her arms around her grandson Santiago who shied away from the strange aliens. “No, no, no. Don't be afraid. It's just like I taught you. You know, I've missed all this,” she hummed. She handed the flowers to her grandson and sighed softly “Listen, babe, can you do something with those for me? There's a good boy. Thanks,” she smiled.

He walked away with the flowers and she turned and winced at the group, realizing how disturbing she must have been for them all. “I'm sorry. I'm making an awful lot of noise, aren't I? Although there is this tribe called the Nambikwara. You know, from the Mato Grosso. I lived there for about six months in 83. When there's a funeral, they sing all night. I mean, they sound like birds. Honestly, it is the most astonishing sound I've ever heard,” she hummed and Sarah Jane was unable to help the laughter that bubbled up from her lips. “Sorry, do I know you?” The woman frowned at Sarah Jane.

“We've never actually met, but it's Jo Grant, isn't it?” Sarah Jane guessed as Jo took a seat on one of the benches right behind her.

“Wow!” Jo exclaimed with large eyes. “It's a long time since I've been called that. Actually it's Jo Jones since I got married,” she corrected.

“I arrived just after you left,” Sarah Jane nodded. “You'd gone to live on the Amazon.”

“They told me about you,” Jo nodded, now remembering the name to the face. “You must be Sarah Jane Smith. Oh, darling. After all this time. And look at you. You're so beautiful,” she hummed.

“Thank you,” Sarah Jane smiled. “Oh, they used to tell so many stories about you at UNIT,” she remembered with a soft sigh.

“Those soldier boys,” Jo chuckled. “Ooo, happy days.”

“So, you're still married?” Sarah Jane assumed.

“Oh, yes,” Jo nodded. “He's picketing an oil rig in the Ascension Islands at the moment. And I've got seven children,” she hummed.

“Seven?” Sarah Jane gasped with wide eyes.

“And Santiago is one of twelve grandchildren,” Jo nodded. “Would you believe number thirteen on its way?” She chuckled. “How about you, sweetie?” She wondered, raising an eyebrow at the woman.

“Oh, I've got a son,” Sarah Jane smiled. “He's called Luke, he's just gone to university,” she nodded. “No, no dad on the picture,” she mumbled.

“Oh, playing the field. Good on you, girl,” Jo laughed, nudging Sarah Jane kindly.

“Not exactly, but,” she murmured and shook her head. “No, it's funny, all of this today, because it got me thinking. Because the Doctor, he showed me such a remarkable life, and when he went, it just took me a long while to get over it,” she admitted.

“Me, too,” Jo chuckled. “You know, sometimes I think I've never stopped running.”

“Then he came back, and I realised the life I wanted was right under my nose all that time,” Sarah Jane sighed, but didn’t notice as Jo’s face fell.

“Who?” Jo frowned. “Who came back? The Doctor? Recently?”

Sarah Jane’s eyes widened and her face paled as she realized how she had screwed up. The Doctor hardly ever visited past companions, and yet that knowledge hadn’t stopped the words from escaping her mouth.

“About four years ago,” Sarah Jane confessed.

“I never saw him again,” Jo mumbled a small frown as she wondered why that was.

“It was just a coincidence,” Sarah Jane assured her with a shrug. “The first time, we were both investigating this case-,” she began and clamped her hand over her mouth as she realized her tongue slipped again.

She should really pause and consider her phrasing before she rushes to speak.

“The first time?” Jo echoed, frowning at the woman. “You mean it was more than once?” 

Sarah Jane winced, unsure of how else to worm her way out of the risky scenario.

“Yeah,” she admitted in a breathy tone just barely above a whisper.

“Oh, he must have really liked you,” Jo hummed and hung her head as she thought back on her relationship with the Doctor. “You know, it's funny, but I have this notion that if the Doctor died one day, I mean, even if he was as far away as Metebelis Three, that, that I'd feel it, you know, in my heart,” she said, holding her chest and looking up at Sarah Jane sadly.

“That's exactly what I thought, but I didn't feel a thing,” Sarah Jane insisted, nodding furiously to Jo, ecstatic that she had found another person who thought the same.

“Nor me. Not a peep,” Jo agreed.

“Do you think the same as me?” Sarah Jane asked, hope creeping into her tone as she spoke to the blonde.

“What?” Jo frowned. “Because I think-.”

“He’s still alive!” The women exclaimed in unison and let out a victorious laugh.

They quickly retired to their dormitories after the scene they caused in the ceremony and Sarah Jane pulled out a pen and a pad of paper.

“Right. We need to make a list, because we need to work out who'd fake the Doctor and Ariel’s deaths, and why,” Sarah Jane instructed.

“Now, this Ariel,” Jo frowned. “How long did you say she’s been with the Doctor?”

“About two years,” Sarah Jane guessed. “Probably reaching two and a half at this rate.”

“Huh, I don’t think I’ve heard one of his companions staying that long,” she frowned. “And you said they are-?”

“Together, yes,” Sarah Jane nodded. “At this rate I’ll bet it’s getting serious,” she smiled softly. “But never find that, we need to find out who set this up,” she nodded.

“Right,” Jo nodded as well. “And these can help us to think,” she smiled, pulling some candles out of her luggage. “They're scented with jatamansi oil. It's a herb from the banks of the Ganges. It helps to focus the mind,” she hummed.

Rani sighed softly and watched the woman in frustration, willing them to accept the pair were dead. She turned to Clyde and Jo’s grandson Santiago. “We’ll just go and get some tea,” she nodded to the boys.

“No, no, no, just hot water for me, please, sweetheart,” Jo requested. “I've got some powdered lapacho. You know, the Doctor took me to this planet once, called Peladon, and the smell of lapacho, well, it reminds me of the Royal Palace,” she smiled.

“I went to Peladon,” Sarah Jane gasped.

“You never did,” Jo scoffed.

“With the great beast Aggedor?” Sarah Jane remembered and Jo’s eyes grew wide. 

“Same planet!” She exclaimed and the pair laughed, hugging tightly while the three children rolled their eyes.

“Okay, laters,” Clyde sighed and closed the door as the two women sat down side by side and began listing the various species that might want to fake the Doctor and Ariel’s deaths.

As time passed, a strange music like the same one they had heard the Shansheeth playing in the remembrance ceremony flowed through the room and at the sound Sarah Jane dropped her pen and frowned.

“There's that music again,” Sarah Jane remarked.

“Reminds me, the Doctor took me to this planet once called Karfel,” Jo hummed. “And they had a leisure garden. And the plants could sing,” she smiled.

“He took me to Italy, once. San Martino, 1492. I remember this magnificent garden. It smelled of oranges, vanilla,” Sarah Jane sighed.

Unaware of what was happening to them, the two women were pulled into the sleep of memories to the joy of the Shansheeth. They held the strongest memories of the Doctor and Sarah Jane was the only one who had memories of Ariel to go off of.

“Drashigs, Axons, Ogrons, Azal,” Jo listed, being pulled into the fog of her own memories.

“Daleks, Cybermen, Zygons,” Sarah Jane joined in, their memories taking hold of them.

But very sharply, the music stopped before they could be pulled too deeply and Sarah Jane work from the fog with a sharp gasp. “Jo?” Sarah Jane prompted, nudging the blonde woman by her side. “Jo, wake up.”

Jo gasped and glanced around the room in a daze with a small frown. 

“What?” Jo breathed.

Sarah Jane jumped up and peered out into the corridor. She knew someone had just tried to take hold of her memories and if this was happening inside Unit she needed to find Rani and Clyde fast.

“Rani? Clyde?” Sarah Jane called but found no response.

“Where is everyone?” Jo frowned.

“I think there's something wrong,” Sarah Jane confessed with a sigh and crossed arms.

“Wrong?” Jo echoed with a small frown that quickly grew into a large grin as she thought on the word. “As in you mean just like the old days sort of wrong?”

“Exactly like the old days,” Sarah Jane grinned, finding she was enjoying the idea now as well.

“Groovy,” Jo hummed.

“Yes!” Sarah Jane exclaimed with a laugh. The women hugged before grabbing hands and running down the corridors to try and find the children.

It wasn’t long before they ran face first into them bolting down an opposite corridor.

“There you are,” Sarah Jane gasped.

“Sarah Jane, it's the Shansheeth,” Clyde told her quickly and furiously. “They're lying through their beaks. They want you and Jo. This whole thing's a trap.”

Sarah Jane grinned, not wanting to say I told you so but feeling the urge burning in her chest as she knew she had been right all along. The Doctor and Ariel were not dead. This whole thing was a lie.

“I knew it,” Sarah Jane smiled.

“Hold on. If they're lying, that means the Doctor and Ariel are still alive!” Jo exclaimed. “Yes!” She smiled and high-fived Sarah Jane happily.

“Of course we’re still alive, Jo,” Clyde moaned, though his voice sounded different and certainly not like his own. Rather, it sounded a lot like the Doctor’s voice. “I thought that was obvious. Catch up,” he snapped.

“I beg your pardon?” Jo scoffed.

“Clyde, is that you?” Sarah Jane frowned.

“Course it's not. It's me,” the Doctor’s voice sighed. “Ariel and I are using Clyde as a receiver.”

“No, I’m not!” Clyde snapped, his voice much more feminine and Sarah Jane smiled as she recognized it to be none other than Ariel Parsons. “You’re using him. If I remember correctly I was  _ against  _ using the little boy as a receiver.”

“Oh, it’s the only way we can get through,” the Doctor moaned.

“Doesn’t mean I have to like it,” Ariel mumbled, crossing her arms at the Doctor as he spoke into a small device they had to build without the sonic screwdriver.

“Fine, but I've keyed into his residual artron energy so I can organise a very complicated biological swap across ten thousand light years,” the Doctor explained. “Hold on.”

“Oh, do I have-,” Ariel began, rolling her eyes.

“Unless you want to be stuck here and eaten I’d suggest you grab my hand,” the Doctor nodded. 

“Alright, fair point,” Ariel sighed. 

Across the light years, Clyde stood before Sarah Jane, Jo, Rani, and Santiago being overwhelmed with atron energy buzzing across his body. He seized for a moment and where he disappeared, Ariel and the Doctor reappeared with sharp gasps.

“Oh, blimey, my head,” Ariel moaned, rubbing her temple and groaning as the four still left behind simply gaped at the couple. “Remind me never to do that again.”

“It was the only way to get us out of there,” the Doctor sighed. “Would you rather still be stuck?”

“No,” Ariel mumbled. “Doesn’t mean that it’s the most pleasant form of travel.”

“Ah, I’ll agree with you there,” the Doctor conceded, rubbing his forehead and sighing. “Good. So, gosh. That was different. Hello, everyone,” he greeted with a warm smile.

“Who are you? Where's Clyde?” Rani demanded with a furious frown.

“Come on, Rani, use your brain,” the Doctor instructed. “Clyde and I swapped places. I'm where he was, he's where I was. Which means, right now, ooo, he's in a lot of trouble,” he winced.

“Oh, I didn’t think about that,” Ariel frowned. “We’ve just left him stranded.”

“At least he’ll be able to cope for a while being there. We’d been there for six hours and believe me, it wasn’t getting any better.”

“You’re not wrong there,” Ariel murmured.

“You bring him back, whoever you are,” Rani commanded and the Doctor’s face fell as he glanced at Rani with wary eyes.

“No, no, no. Rani, don't you see?” Sarah Jane hummed. “It's you, isn't it? You've done it again,” she smiled up at the Doctor.

“Hello, Sarah Jane,” the Doctor grinned.

“Doctor,” Sarah Jane nodded kindly.

“Oh, Sarah Jane!” Ariel exclaimed, jumping up and pulling the woman into a hug. “It’s been ages since I last saw you,” she sighed.

“You look as though you’ve gotten a bit older,” Sarah Jane remarked with a nod. “You must be, what, in your twenties now?” She guessed.

“Twenty on the dot actually to be exact,” Ariel smiled.

“Hold on, that’s the Doctor?” Rani frowned.

“The one and only,” Ariel nodded and the Doctor chuckled as he beamed at her. 

“What Doctor? The Doctor? My Doctor?” Jo gasped and Ariel turned to her with large eyes.

“Blimey, that was a lot of words in a short amount of time,” Ariel remarked.

Sarah Jane chuckled and nodded as she turned her attention to Jo. “He can change his face,” she reminded the woman.

“I know, but into a baby's?” Jo scoffed and Ariel snorted as the Doctor’s face fell and he frowned at Jo.

“Oi!” The Doctor snapped. “Imagine it from my point of view. Last time I saw you, Jo Grant, you were, what, 21, 22? It's like someone baked you,” he said and Jo’s jaw dropped.

“Oh, great, five seconds in and one insult has been dropped,” Ariel sighed. 

The Doctor chuckled and wrapped his arm around her. “Ah, it’s better than some past times,” he reminded her.

“Past times that I have buried so deep in my memory and we will not be mentioning again,” Ariel warned, holding up a finger and glaring at him. She didn’t want to think about the day they visited an alien planet for five minutes and within those five minutes the Doctor insulted the entire royal court, several high ranking officials, and the mother of the King.

“Believe me, I want to bury that just as deep as you do,” he nodded and rolled his eyes when he looked up and spotted several large vulture type aliens marching towards them. “Meanwhile,” he sighed, nodding to the aliens.

Ariel groaned at the very sight of them and the pair shoved past the group to meet the Shansheeths halfway down the hallway. 

“The Claw Shansheeth of the 15th Funeral Fleet,” the Doctor announced. “We've been looking for you,” he hummed.

“Have you been telling people we’re dead?!” Ariel snapped.

“I apologise,” the Shansheeth nodded. “The death notice was released a little too soon. Though I can rectify this, immediately.”

The Shansheeth held up two claws shooting out two separate red energy beams at the couple who fell to their knees and groaned as they glared up at the Shansheeth.

“I'm so sorry for your losses, Doctor and Miss Parsons,” the Shansheeth spat. “Rest in peace,” he snapped.

Before the Shansheeth could do any actual damage a blue force wrapped around the Doctor and Ariel and pulled them off of Earth and straight back onto the planet they had just left.

“Oh, what good is this?” Ariel sighed. “We’re right back where we came from.”

“Ah, I should be able to get it to work,” the Doctor frowned. “If I just,” he began jiggling the device and Ariel laughed. 

“Is that your solution? Jiggle it until it-.”

They were teleported off the planet and right back into the corridor on Earth. 

“-Works,” Ariel finished with a small frown.

The Doctor laughed victoriously, and spun around only to have his smile fall as he spotted the Shansheeths chasing after them. “Okay, run!” The Doctor cried. He grabbed Ariel’s hand and she cried out as he tugged her down the corridor past Sarah Jane where she was holding open one of the doors for them. 

“Come along, Smith!” The Doctor cried and Sarah Jane paused for a moment to frown at the presence of the pair rather than Clyde, but she quickly snapped out of it and ran after them.

They all bolted into a small dormitory door to their left and the Doctor waved the whole group through.

“In, in, in!” The Doctor cried and Ariel raced through last just as Colonel Karmin approached, clearly unaware she was speaking to the Doctor when she walked up to him.

“I’m sorry, is there a problem?” Colonel Karmin prompted.

“Sorry, I was slamming it,” the Doctor shrugged and as though to demonstrate what he meant, he slammed the door in her face and pressed his body up against it to keep anyone from getting in.

“Right,” the Doctor nodded. “Now we need to lock it. Come on, use the sonic lipstick,” he instructed Sarah Jane.

“Haven’t you got the screwdriver?” Sarah Jane frowned. 

“My fault,” Ariel winced.

“They took it from both of us,” the Doctor said, shaking his head. 

“Yeah, but I was the one who showed it to them,” Ariel shrugged. “We would have been back to the Tardis in an instant otherwise.”

“Hold on, they make sonic lipsticks now?” Jo gasped and Ariel grinned as Sarah Jane used it on the door.

“Oh, yeah I’ve gotta get one of those,” Ariel mumbled. 

“Would it be too terrible if I spoiled the surprise and told you I’d make it your next birthday present now?” The Doctor implored, raising his eyebrow at her.

“Not at all,” Ariel giggled. She kissed him sweetly and he chuckled as he wrapped and arm around her before turning to Jo and Sarah Jane.

“We're running out of time,” the Doctor announced. “I need you, Sarah, and you, Jo,” he said, taking each woman’s hand while trying to keep a steady grip on Ariel.

“Need us for what?” Jo wondered.

“Remember the old days when we'd go zooming off to faraway worlds?” He smiled.

As if to answer the question, the four of them disappeared and reappeared in the wasteland of the Crimson Heart.

Ariel groaned as she looked at her surroundings and glanced back at the device. “Is is still acting up?”

The Doctor kicked it furiously and glared at the device. “If I just had my sonic,” he moaned.

“Or the Tardis,” Ariel added with a soft sigh. “Or a way off this bloody wasteland,” she said. “I knew we shouldn’t have left Amy and Rory on that asteroid for their honeymoon.”

“Oi, they said they liked it,” the Doctor reminded her with a pout. “And after that Egyptian goddess turned out to be a snake creature I’m willing to bet they needed it.”

“Yeah, but things always go wrong when we’re not traveling with anybody else,” she shrugged.

“Things didn’t go wrong after Donna,” the Doctor frowned.

“If I recall, you bent the laws of space time on Mars, I met the Master and killed a bloke and you regenerated,” Ariel sighed. “Things went about as bad as they can get.”

“Touché,” the Doctor shrugged. “But it’s still much more fun traveling alone with you,” he smiled.

“I know,” Ariel grinned. “I just miss my angry Scottish best friend,” she shrugged.

“I know,” the Doctor smiled and nodded. The device whirred and he groaned and kicked it once again. “No, no, no, no. Let's get you working properly. Stop,” he commanded the inanimate device as though it could obey.

“Where are we?” Sarah Jane wondered, gazing out at the wasteland with a small frown.

“The Wasteland of the Crimson Heart,” the Doctor informed her and Jo. “Planet Earth's that way,” he said, pointing north “Bit of a long walk,” he shrugged “Sonic, please,” he requested, making a grabbing motion for the sonic lipstick like a small child.

“It's so many years since I was on another planet,” Jo gasped as she stared out at the open field of the wasteland where one of the many suns was shining down on the san making it look as though it glowed.

“Me too,” Sarah Jane smiled.

Ariel sight softly as the device seemed to shut down and glanced back at the two women. She poked her head in between the pair and attempted to gave them a friendly, despite hurried, smile.

“As sweet as this is and as much as I’d love to hear you two reminisce, if we ever want any chance of  _ returning _ to Earth, we’re going to need that sonic lipstick,” Ariel reminded them. 

“Right, yes, sorry,” Sarah Jane nodded as she fished the sonic lipstick out of her pocket.

“What happened to the Tardis?” Jo asked as Sarah Jane knelt down beside the Doctor and he guided her on which bits of the device to sonic.

“Ah, the Shansheeth took it,” Ariel sighed. “It’s probably on Earth with them,” she muttered. “They wanted to make sure we had no way out of here.”

“There, and there,” the Doctor directed Sarah Jane while Jo went to take a seat on some of the rubble to their left.

“Did it hurt?” Sarah Jane wondered, eyeing the Doctor carefully. “I mean, the regeneration. That last body of yours, was he okay in the end?”

“It always hurts,” the Doctor murmured.

“Were you there?” Sarah Jane asked, casting her glance over her shoulder to Ariel where the brunette was biting her fingernails anxiously. “In the end, were you with him?”

“I was there through most of it,” Ariel nodded. “I watched him in that chamber with the radiation,” she breathed, the memory burning her very mind. “After that, I couldn’t stand to be there for the actual regeneration,” she shook her head. “I had already seen it once before we got on the Dalek Crucible, I didn’t want to see it again.”

“You regenerated before the Dalek Crucible?” Sarah Jane frowned. “But you had the same face.”

“I was injured,” the Doctor nodded. “I used the regeneration energy to heal myself then directed it into a strand of my DNA. My hand if you remember. Worked out great,” he smiled. “Apart from the biological metacrisis,” he mumbled. “Oh, and there,” he said, directing Sarah Jane’s sonic lipstick onto the last piece of the device.

“So how did you two end up in this place?” Sarah Jane wondered.

“The Shansheeth lured us,” the Doctor sighed. “A mighty old battlefield, just begging to be explored,” he hummed.

“But they just had to wait until it was the two of us alone in the Tardis,” Ariel said and the Doctor sighed and nodded.

“Because we’re travelling with Amy now,” the Doctor explained. “And Rory. They got married,” he smiled. “We dropped them off at a honeymoon planet, which isn't what you'd think,” he shook his head. “It's not a planet for a honeymoon, it's a planet on a honeymoon. It married an asteroid.”

“The perfect place to spend your own honeymoon,” Ariel added with a soft chuckle. “But when we got here something was off,” she sighed. “Naturally, we had to investigate.”

“Then they nicked the Tardis,” the Doctor said. “Fortunately, I had all this wreckage to build a space swapping doo-dah thingummy wotsit,” he trailed off, staring at the device with a small frown.

“Started well that sentence,” Ariel chuckled.

“It got away from me, yeah,” the Doctor sighed, raking his fingers through his hair.

“So, you've a married couple in the Tardis,” Jo frowned.

“Mister and Mrs Pond,” the Doctor nodded and smiled.

“I only left you because I got married,” Jo mumbled, staring down at the ground as she spoke. “Did you think I was stupid?”

“Why do you say that?” The Doctor wondered.

“I was a bit dumb,” Jo shrugged. “Still am, I suppose.”

The Doctor and Ariel shared a frown and they both walked over to Jo. Ariel sat down on her left side while the Doctor took a seat on her right.

“Now what in the world would make you think that, ever, ever,  _ ever _ ?” The Doctor asked.

Ariel flashed a smile at the man. That was one of the many reasons she had fallen in love with him. When she thought so little of herself, he was one of the first people in her life to pick her up off the ground and show her she had worth that had been overlooked and ignored for far too long. Watching him console others in the same fashion just warmed her heart.

“We'd been travelling down the Amazon for months, and we reached a village in Cristalino, and it was the only place in thousands of miles that had a telephone, so I called you. I just wanted to say hello. And they told me that you'd left, left UNIT, never came back,” Jo stammered and Ariel wrapped an arm around the woman and pulled her into a kind partial hug. She took a deep breath and carried on with her story. “So I waited and waited, because you said you'd see me again. You did, I asked you and you said yes. You promised. So I thought, one day, I'd hear that sound, Deep in the jungle, I'd hear that funny wheezing noise, and a big blue box right in the middle of the rainforest. You see, he wouldn't just leave. Not forever. Not me. I've waited my whole silly life,” she said, smiling sadly.

“But you’re an idiot,” the Doctor scoffed and Ariel could do nothing else but chuckle softly and nod in agreement.

“Well, there we have it,” Jo sighed, shrugging her shoulders helplessly.

“No, but don't you see?” The Doctor smiled. “How could I ever find you? You've spent the past forty years living in huts, climbing up trees, tearing down barricades. You've done everything from flying kites on Kilimanjaro to sailing down the Yangtze in a tea chest. Not even the Tardis could pin you down,” he shrugged.

“Hold on,” Jo frowned. “I did sail down the Yangtze in a tea chest. How did you know?” She wondered and the Doctor and Ariel shared a knowing smile.

“And that family,” the Doctor sighed happily. “All seven kids, twelve grandchildren, thirteenth on his way. He's dyslexic but that'll be fine. Great swimmer,” he remarked.

“So you've been watching me all this time?” Jo guessed, grinning at the Doctor.

“No,” the Doctor shook his head. “Because you're right, I don't look back. I can't. But the last time I was dying, I looked back on all of you. Every single one. And I was so proud,” he hummed and Ariel beamed at him.

“It really is you, isn't it?” Jo gasped.

“Hello,” the Doctor grinned, waving happily at her.

“Sorry, but we've got that lot back at home with the Shansheeth,” Sarah Jane reminded them with a small frown.

“Yes, yes,” the Doctor nodded. He hopped up and he and Ariel joined Sarah Jane back at the device. “And I still need you, Jo,” he said, pointing to the blonde woman. “Now, that bag of yours, I can smell blackcurrant. Is it buchu oil?” He guessed with a small frown.

“Hand-picked in Mozambique,” Jo smiled and nodded, getting up and pulling the oil out of her bag.

“Oh, perfect,” the Doctor grinned. He took the oil and removed the top of the device so he could pour it inside. “These circuits need connectivity,” he explained and beamed as he placed the top back on and returned the container to Jo. “Wonderful. Little tiddly drop. That's it. What a team,” he hummed, clapping his hands together and grinning at the three women in pride.

He pressed a few buttons on the device and fiddled with it for a minute before taking a deep breath and stepping back with a firm nod. “There,” he sighed. “That should work. Intergalactic molecular streaming, with just a hint of blackcurrant,” he smiled.

“But what'll happen to Clyde?” Sarah Jane wondered.

If they were going back to Earth to stop the Shansheeth then something would happen to Clyde as it had done the various times the Doctor and Ariel used the young boy to appear there.

“No, no, no, I've fixed it,” the Doctor assured her with a shake of his head, promising Clyde would not be stranded on an alien planet again. “All we needed was you two. Oil and sonic,” he chuckled softly. “Now we can go back and Clyde can stay where he is. Hold tight,” he instructed, holding out his hands so each of the three women could appear back in an abandoned corridor on Earth.

They spun around curiously, trying to find the children when a voice from the ventilation shaft drew their attention.

“Get us out of here, Doctor!” Clyde cried.

“Uh oh,” Ariel winced.

“Then again, maybe leaving Clyde in the same place wasn't such a good idea,” the Doctor decided with a small frown.

“Look out, stand back,” Sarah Jane instructed, pushing the group to the side as she pulled out her sonic lipstick and sonicked off the grill of the shaft.

“Oh, brilliant,” Ariel chuckled, pulling the grill to the side and smiling at Sarah Jane. “I did miss you,” she hummed and Sarah Jane grinned.

“Ah! Ventilation shafts!” The Doctor exclaimed with a laugh. “That takes me back,” he sighed and glanced down at Ariel with a knowing grin while the girl turned bright red. “Or even forwards,” he mumbled and Ariel fought the urge to burst out with nervous laughter as Sarah Jane and Jo eyed her in amusement.

“Let’s just get in and save them, yeah?” Ariel sighed, crawling into the shaft first so she could hide her reddening face.

The Doctor chuckled and crawled in after her.

“Hurry up!” Clyde cried. “We're getting boiled alive!”

“Hold on. We're coming,” the Doctor assured them.

“Blimey, it is getting hotter in here,” Ariel winced. “Are they really trying to roast a bunch of kids alive?”

“Apparently,” the Doctor mumbled, the tone of angry creeping into his voice when he spoke.

All of a sudden, there was a sharp outcry that made Ariel and the Doctor stop in their tracks.

“Doctor!” Sarah Jane yelled.

Ariel and the Doctor glanced over their shoulders with large eyes only to watch as Sarah Jane and Jo were dragged away by what was undoubtedly the Shansheeth.

“Jo? Sarah?” The Doctor called.

“They’re roasting us!” Clyde yelled. 

“Let us out!” Rani shouted.

“Doctor, we have to go after the kids,” Ariel sighed. “I’d go after Sarah and Jo if I could but I can’t get out of this shaft without both of us going back and we hardly have time for that.”

“I could-,” the Doctor began and Ariel shook her head. 

“The shaft is sealed shut on their end, see?” Ariel said, pointing to the metal barrier keeping them from the kids. “You need to rewire it so they can get out.”

“But after,” the Doctor insisted with a nod.

“After I can help them get out and you can go after Sarah and Jo,” Ariel nodded. “But right now we need to focus on them,” she said, jabbing her thumb towards where the trio were being roasted. “Sarah and Jo would understand,” she assured him with a nod.

The Doctor sighed softly and nodded, knowing she was right as they continued shuffling forwards towards the kids. The Doctor bent up just over her while she pressed her forehead on the ground so he could reached over her as they reached a small dial and he peeled off the cover to rewire it and help the kids out.

“And release,” the Doctor sighed and the metal shaft chugged open to reveal the three children and a small Groske alongside them.

“Why, hello!” Ariel exclaimed with a large grin. 

“Blimey,” Clyde gasped, staring at the Doctor with large eyes. “He really has changed faces, hasn’t he?” He said, glanced at the Doctor and Rani. Ariel and the Doctor shared an amused grin at the child’s amazement. “I couldn't see you before, I was too busy swapping,” he shrugged. 

“Oi, we’re still cooking back here,” Rani moaned.

“Oh, yeah, blimey this is hot,” Ariel frowned. 

“Where’s my gran?” Santiago asked, trying to peer over the Doctor and Ariel, but not spotting her.

“Right, yes, sorry, she's in danger, so, we'd better er,” the Doctor said, trying to spin backwards in the shaft and failing. “Can't turn round,” he mumbled.

“You'll have to shuffle backwards,” Clyde advised.

“Oh, yes, okay,” the Doctor hummed as he glanced backward. “Thank you, Clyde,” he smiled. 

He began shuffling backwards while Ariel bent down into the small hideaway and stretched out her arms. “Alright, you lot,” Ariel smiled. “Let’s get going,” she said. 

Clyde accepted her hands and she helped him up into the shaft before he turned and helped Rani in and she helped Santiago. The Groske just hopped in after them and they all began shuffling out after the Doctor.

“So, you’re in a relationship with him?” Clyde prompted. “The Doctor?”

“Yep,” Ariel smiled.

“Does he change his face a lot?” 

“Not really,” Ariel shook his head. 

“But when he does, literally everything changes,” Clyde assumed with a nod.

“Everything,” Ariel agreed, nodding to Clyde.

“Can he change colour though or is he always white?” Clyde wondered.

“He could be anything,” Ariel shrugged. “One time he joked about regenerating and getting two heads,” she chuckled.

“Blimey, dating someone with two heads,” Clyde frowned.

“Yeah, dating him you gotta love him for more than just looks or you’re going to be severely disappointed,” Ariel laughed.

“And is there a limit to how many times he can change?” Clyde wondered.

“Ah, I’d say about fifty seven times,” Ariel lied with an amused shrug. 

“Doesn’t that get tiring?” Clyde frowned. 

“You’d have to ask him,” Ariel shrugged. She reached the ventilation shaft and climbed out before helping the children do the same.

“Where did the Doctor go?” Rani wondered, glancing around the room. 

“He went to see if he could catch up to Jo and Sarah Jane,” Ariel explained. “Now, we have to go find him, so think. If the Shansheeth would bring the two of them anywhere, where would it be?” She asked the kids.

“Well, when I caught on to what their plan was they were inside the chapel trying to access the memories. If they’d bring them anywhere I suppose it would be there,” Clyde guessed with a slight shrug.

“Brilliant!” Ariel grinned, clapping Clyde on the shoulder. “You’re already my favorite rugrat. Show me,” she instructed.

Clyde looked momentarily put out at being called a ‘rugrat’ before nodding and marching through the corridor to the chapel. They ran to follow him and when they arrived the Doctor was already banging on the doors, furiously pulling at the handles trying to get in. He spotted them and sighed softly.

“They've sealed it off,” the Doctor informed them. “Jo, Sarah, can you hear me?” He called, banging on the door.

“They want the key!” Sarah Jane cried. “They've got the Tardis, and a Memory Weave.”

“What’s a Memory Weave?” Ariel frowned.

“It’s a device used to access memories. If focuses on one object for too long it could,” the Doctor let out a small but frustrated huff.

“What, Doctor?” Clyde asked.

“It could make them a physical Tardis key,” the Doctor mumbled, his eyes wide and face pale as he spoke.

“They’d have access to all that technology,” Ariel breathed, staring at the door with unblinking eyes. “Who knows what sort of damage they could inflict?” 

The Doctor stepped back and furiously raked his fingers through his hair. “Try to find a way in,” he instructed the children.

They each went about their own method, from pulling the handles on the door furiously to typing every combination into a keycode by the door. 

The Doctor went to a small control panel to the left of the door and Ariel analyzed it while the Doctor pulled out the bottom of it and tried to rewire it to work for him.

“There's nothing,” Santiago sighed. “We need a bulldozer.”

“They’re going to kill them for a bloody Tardis key,” Ariel moaned.

“We’ve got the originals here!” The Doctor exclaimed, pulling his Tardis key out of his coat as though it were proof. “You can have it if you let them go,” he lied.

Unfortunately, it seemed the Shansheeth knew him too well because the doors did not budge and they continued to listen as Sarah Jane and Jo cried out, fighting back against the memories and failing.

Clyde ran forward and hit the door with a fire extinguisher several times before dropping it to the ground with a loud clatter of defeat.

“It’s not shifting,” he groaned.

“The memories coalesce. The key, it takes shape!” They heard one of the Shansheeth cry and their hearts all fell into their stomachs. 

“What do we do, Doctor? What do we do?” Clyde asked desperately, looking between the closed doors and the couple wildly.

“They’re remembering the key,” Ariel murmured.

“Because the Shansheeth are making them remember,” the Doctor nodded.

“I know,” Clyde frowned, not following along with the train of thought of the couple. 

“But if we can make them remember something different,” Ariel began.

“Then we might be able to stop them,” the Doctor smiled.

“We can take what the Shansheeth are already forcing them to remember, us and the Tardis, and overpower it,” Ariel nodded. “Overwhelm the Memory Weave.”

“Opening comms,” the Doctor grinned and nodded. He went to the control panel he had been trying to rewire and did just that. “Sarah, Jo, can you hear me?”

“The key, it’s almost ready!” Sarah Jane cried.

“Listen to me, both of you. I want you to remember,” the Doctor instructed.

“We are doing!” Jo yelled. “That’s the trouble!”

“No, no, no, no. I want you to remember everything. Every single day with me. Every single second,” the Doctor told them. “Sarah Jane, remember the Dalek Crucible. Remember everything you can about Ariel. Because your memories are more powerful than anything else on this planet. Just think of it. Remember it. But properly. Properly. Give the Memory Weave everything. Every planet, every face, every madman, every loss, every sunset, every scent, every terror, every joy, every Doctor. Every me,” he smiled and Ariel beamed at him.

From within the chapel, Sarah Jane grinned as the memories flooded back to her. “I remember,” she gasped.

“No!” Colonel Karim cried as she watched the Memory Weave become overwhelmed and the Tardis key that had been forming start to dissolve.

“Memory Weave overloading,” the computer announced.

“I remember,” Jo grinned.

“We need that key. What is happening?” Colonel Karim snapped at the Shansheeth but they seemed just as confused as she felt. “What’s happened?!” She yelled.

“Initial target lost,” the computer said as the key completely dissolved.

“The device is overloading,” the Shansheeth sighed. “Too many memories. Too many.”

Outside the chapel, the Doctor grinned and waved the children forward. “Come on, all of you. Tell them, tell them,” he instructed, wanting to ensure the device would be unsalvageable from the memory overload.

“Think of us, Sarah Jane,” Clyde insisted. “Remember Maria and her dad, and all the stuff we did, like the Gorgon.,” he reminded her.

“And the clowns, and the zodiac,” Rani added with a nod. “And the Mona Lisa.”

Ariel and the Doctor shared a curious frown at the mention of the Mona Lisa but decided to question them on it later.

“Just think, Gran,” Santiago joined in. “All the countries you've been to.”

“Weave starting to self-destruct,” the computer announced.

Ariel and the Doctor both grinned and laughed victoriously, high-fiving before jumping into a tight hug with each other.

Inside the chapel, Sarah Jane and Jo had gotten out of their shackles but when Sarah Jane tried to use her sonic lipstick but her face fell when it didn’t work. “We’ve drained it,” she mumbled. “Doctor?!” Sarah Jane cried, banging her hand on the door. “Doctor, I can't get out.”

Their hearts all simultaneously stopped beating as the victory washed away and turned into regret and something bitter to the very taste.

“We can’t open it,” the Doctor sighed, placing his forehead on the doors and squeezing his eyes shut, silently cursing himself.

“No sonic screwdriver?” Sarah Jane prompted, allowing the slightest bit of hope to creep into her voice.

“It's inside the Tardis,” the Doctor groaned, wanting to hit himself for that very fact.

“And we can't get in, because guess what? We stopped ourselves getting the key,” Sarah Jane sighed. “Oh, that was clever,” she hummed.

Ariel’s face fell and she placed a gentle hand on the Doctor’s back as she knew he was spending every second burning with newfound self hatred.

He took a ragged breath and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close and pressing a kiss to her temple.

“I just want to say, I'm so glad I saw you again. I waited all this time, and it was worth it. Every second,” Jo smiled sadly. “Funny thing is though, you and Ariel’s funeral turns out to be ours instead,” she sighed.

“Our funeral?” The Doctor frowned.

“Doctor, if Unit followed my requests-,” Ariel began.

“The coffin, yeah,” the Doctor smiled and nodded furiously.

“Doctor, all of you, you'll look after Luke for me, please,” Sarah Jane begged.

“No, no, no, no, but listen,” the Doctor insisted, shaking his head furiously at the door as he turned to it with a newly brightened smile.”Our funeral,” he reminded them. “Don't you see? It's our funeral.”

“With a lead-lined coffin!” Sarah Jane and Jo exclaimed in unison from within the chapel. They bolted to the coffin and pushed it open before jumping inside and slamming it shut for when the blast of the Memory Weave came.

“How much time have they got?” The Doctor asked the Groske over his shoulder.

“Big bang, ten seconds,” the Groske guessed with a shrug.

The Doctor and Ariel shared a wide eyed gaze and they slowly backed away from the door. 

“Come on!” The Doctor cried. He waved them all towards the right end of the corridor and the five of them ducked behind the control panel as the Groske began to count down.

“Ten, nine.”

“Total destruction imminent,” the computer announced inside the chapel.

“Seven, six.”

“Hurry, up Gran!” Santiago called out to Jo still inside the chapel, hoping she had gotten inside the coffin in time.

“Five, four, three, two,” the Groske counted and ran to the left of the explosion just in time as the Memory Weave blew up.

The explosion threw the metal doors off their hinges and knocked them loudly into the opposing wall as a large fire blasted its way into the corridor blowing off smoke throughout the area before slowly dying down and safely allowing the group to get up and walk around.

They all coughed against the smoke and blew it out of their faces, narrowing their eyes to hopefully try and see something or even anything.

When the clouds of smoke slowly began to thin, the Doctor frowned and glanced down at Rani, a question still lingering in his mind.

“What do you mean, the Mona Lisa?” The Doctor asked as he recalled Rani telling Sarah Jane to remember the Mona Lisa.

Ariel laughed and shook her head at the bluntness and strange timing the Doctor always seemed to have.

Rani winced and shuffled uncomfortably, unsure of how to explain the Mona Lisa coming to life without sounding mad. “It’s sort of a long story,” she mumbled.

“Well, I look forward to hearing that one,” the Doctor hummed.

Ariel chuckled and couldn’t help but nod in agreement.

The group then cautiously turned to the chapel and slowly stepped inside, walking over the burnt metal doors as they did so. There wasn’t a single thing left standing inside. Everything organic had been roasted.

“Smells like roast chicken,” the Groske remarked and Ariel snorted.

Her smile fell and she frowned as she realized the room did in fact smell of chicken. 

“Oh, it does,” Ariel moaned, sniffing once more to be certain. “That’s so weird.”

The Doctor chuckled and shook his head at Ariel and the Groske before redirecting his attention to the lead-lined coffin. “Now then,” the Doctor sighed. “Smith and Jones!” He exclaimed. 

He tossed the lid of the coffin open and Jo and Sarah Jane looked up at him with large eyes before laughing as relief flooded their bodies at their survival.

“The coffin was the trap. The coffin was the solution. That's so neat, I could write a thesis,” the Doctor hummed.

“Should visit Albert Einstein again and give it to him,” Ariel nodded.

“Yeah,” the Doctor frowned. “I’ve been meaning to pay Albert a visit,” he realized. “Maybe, we can catch Frank Sinatra along the way. Been a while since you last seen him,” he reminded Ariel with a nod.

“Oh, yeah,” Ariel smiled.

The Doctor grinned and nodded once more before redirecting his focus back to Sarah Jane and Jo. “Come on then, you two. Out you get,” he hummed.

The women shared one last laugh before climbing out of the coffin to rejoin the group.

~~~

About an hour later, the Doctor dropped Clyde, Rani and Santiago back at 13 Bannerman Road while Jo and Sarah Jane stayed for a while longer wishing to take a mini tour of the new Tardis.

“Still the same old Tardis,” Jo hummed, beaming as she walked around the console room. “It doesn't matter what's changed, it still smells the same,” she said, closing her eyes and sniffing the air as though to confirm what she said as she smiled. She opened her eyes and they grew wide as she realized how far she was slipping. “No,” she shook her head. “I've got to say goodbye, or else I'd stay with you forever,” she chuckled. “Besides, I probably couldn't keep up any more. Get you into trouble with the Time Lords,” she said.

Ariel’s face dropped and she watched as the Doctor paled. He had traveled with Jo before the Time War, before he wiped out his race. She knew he likely wasn’t going to tell her the truth, but the words had a heavy effect on him. 

She smiled sadly at him and wrapped her arm around his waist. He let out a soft sigh of what almost seemed to be relief with her presence as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her as close as possible, needing the comfort her presence provided for the moment.

“We'd probably better go,” the Doctor nodded to the woman, smiling sadly at them. “You know me, stuff to do,” he shrugged.

Sarah Jane eyed the Doctor carefully, knowing what had happened to his race and knowing how what Jo said might be affecting him. 

She took a deep breath and smiled at the man. “It's daft, though, because we were both saying, we had this theory that if you ever died, we'd feel it, somehow we'd just know,” Sarah Jane nodded and the Doctor grinned at her words. “But that's just silly, isn't it?”

“I don't know. Maybe not,” the Doctor shrugged. “Because between the four of us, if that day ever comes. I think the whole universe might just  _ shiver _ !” He exclaimed, giving a start and making them all jump before falling into laughter.

Jo and the Doctor started talking, catching up on all they had missed of each other while Sarah Jane pulled Ariel to the side to talk.

“I’ve been hearing bits and pieces of your travels with him from Jack, but I’ve noticed I wasn’t getting the full story,” Sarah Jane said, holding up Ariel’s left hand and tapping the ring.

Ariel giggled and nodded. “Yeah, this was fairly recent actually. Blimey, it was about a month ago,” she frowned. “It seems like so much more time has passed.”

“I know what you mean,” Sarah Jane nodded. “Traveling with the Doctor it can seem like the days just flicker by,” she chuckled. “But I thought I might give you a bit of advice seeing as you’ll be staying with him for awhile now,” she told the young woman. “I know traveling with the Doctor can be wonderful and breathtaking, but no matter how often you feel as though you want to get caught up and travel with him for the rest of your life, you have to remember your home,” she instructed.

“I lost my home,” Ariel frowned and shook her head.

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Sarah Jane smiled. “You still have one. Anytime you like you can always come back to Earth and find a place with Jack or myself,” she promised. “You just have to remember to come back, because traveling with the Doctor is amazing, but it’s far too easy to get caught up in that life and forget yourself.”

“What do you mean ‘forget myself’?” Ariel wondered.

“Travel on alien planets too long and you lose the human in you,” Sarah Jane told her. “You lose that very heart that makes you  _ you _ .”

“I didn’t think that could happen,” Ariel murmured, glancing down, not meeting the older woman’s gaze.

“It is far easier than you think,” Sarah Jane nodded. “Now, I know you;ll be marrying the Doctor and I couldn’t be happier, but just remember if you ever feel yourself slipping you’ll always have a place to stay with me.”

Ariel grinned at the woman, unspeakably grateful for the kindness and wisdom she offered. “Thank you.”

“Any time, dear,” Sarah Jane hummed. “Now, about this wedding,” she said and Ariel laughed.

“I don’t have a single clue of what to do,” Ariel sighed. “It’s sort of hard to pick a date and place when you have all of time and space to pick from.”

“I understand completely,” Sarah Jane nodded. “But just know wherever and whenever it is, I’ll be expecting an invite in the mail.”

Ariel laughed. “Of course, you’ll be invited,” she assured the woman with a nod. “I’d be mad not to ask you to come.”

Sarah Jane smiled. “Good,” she said before pulling Ariel into a tight hug. 

“Alright, you two,” the Doctor sighed. “It’s been brilliant, but we’ve got to get going.”

“Bye,” Ariel smiled to the women. She pulled Sarah Jane into another hug before turning to hug Jo. 

“It was magnificent meeting you,” Jo nodded.

“Same to you,” Ariel grinned.

“And Doctor,” Jo sighed, turning to the Time Lord and pulling him into a tight hug. “I’ll be expecting an invite to the wedding,” she whispered in his ear.

The Doctor’s eyes widened before he laughed and nodded to the blonde. “I wouldn’t dream of leaving you out Jo Jones,” he assured the woman with a large smile.

Sarah Jane pulled the Doctor into a final hug and they said their final goodbyes, waving to the couple before heading outside, back to the children.

Ariel sighed and turned to the Doctor. “You know we’re going to have to invite all seven of her children and all thirteen grandchildren, right?”

“Oh, I know,” the Doctor nodded, chuckling as he turned to the console and began fiddling with the controls to take them to their next destination. “There goes the idea of a small wedding,” he hummed.

Ariel laughed as the Doctor pulled a lever on the console, starting up the time rotors and taking them off to their next journey.


	30. Hallowe'en

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have read the short story "The Night After Hallowe'en" I'm very sorry but there isn't going to be a single line similar in this. I could not find a way to access the story but I did want to use it and write a Halloween type chapter so this is just going to follow the plot without the same dialogue. 
> 
> Edit: I found a way to read it online but I've already finished this chapter and I got it pretty close so I'm not going to rewrite the whole thing just so the dialogue can be canon

After attending a party at Frank Sinatra’s hunting lodge with Albert Einstein and Santa Claus, the Doctor and Ariel found themselves lounging about the Tardis on an ordinary Monday, debating whether or not they should pick up Amy and Rory.

“I mean they’ve got to be getting bored by now,” Ariel reminded the Doctor, resting on her stomach on the bed while the Doctor compared which bow tie to put on in the mirror.

“Well, if they get bored on the asteroid they can always go to the planet it married,” the Doctor shrugged. “They’ve got rockets connecting the two.”

“I just feel like we went to the wasteland of the Crimson Heart, we went to see Frank Sinatra and somehow you managed to convince him that he was not in the same room as Santa Claus,” she chuckled.

“Ah, that’s my specialty,” the Doctor grinned. “Convincing historical figures that they’re not facing someone entirely impossible.”

“But we’ve seen all this, now I feel like we should start traveling with them again,” Ariel shrugged. She hopped off the bed and walked up to the Doctor’s side, straightening his bow tie for him while he beamed at her in the mirror.

“Ah, they’re still in that honeymoon phase,” the Doctor dismissed with a wave of his hand. “We have to give it about two or three weeks.”

“That’s nearly a month,” Ariel frowned. “Are we going to leave them there for a whole month?”

“If Amy calls we’ll pick them up sooner, but they won’t know we’re gone for a whole month anyway,” the Doctor assured her. “We can just travel back after they’ve been there for about a week and pick them back up.”

“Then why did you suggest a month?” Ariel wondered with a small frown, following the Doctor as he marched out of their room and back to the console room.

“I meant a month for us,” the Doctor hummed. He spun around and wrapped his arms around her waist, smiling softly at her. “Do you not want to have the Tardis all to ourselves?” He asked.

“Well, or course I do,” Ariel said, beaming up at him. “I was just worried that-.”

She was interrupted by a strange beeping on the scanner. The Doctor and Ariel both glanced over at it with curious frowns and marched over to see the cause of the alert.

“She’s tracked some unknown creature straight at the heart of London,” the Doctor mumbled.

“What?” Ariel gasped, running over to his side to see for herself. She sighed softly when she found the readings were in Gallifreyan. “Y’know someday I want to learn to read Gallifreyan,” she told the Doctor.

“Why?” The Doctor frowned. “It’s not important you do.”

“River knows it,” Ariel reminded him. 

“Is that the only reason you want to learn it?” The Doctor chuckled, tapping around on his screen to see if he could get a better reading. 

“No,” Ariel mumbled. “It’s the written language of your people,” she shrugged and the Doctor smiled softly at that. “I think it would be really interesting to know and besides this way you won’t have to change the language on the scanner every time I want to read the scanner.”

The Doctor grinned down at her and nodded. “Okay,” he said. “If you really want to I can teach it to you someday.”

“Yay!” Ariel exclaimed, jumping up and hugging the Doctor as he chuckled softly and hugged her back. “Now, what’s the deal with this alien?” She wondered, narrowing her eyes at the scanner the Doctor had turned to English for her sake.

“I can’t get a proper read on it,” the Doctor shook his head. “It’s in a warehouse in the middle of London, but beyond that there’s nothing.”

“Meaning we’ll have to investigate,” Ariel realized with a grin.

“The day after Halloween no less,” the Doctor hummed. “This is certainly going to be an interesting one,” he chuckled.

“I don’t think we’ve ever landed on Halloween,” Ariel remarked. “We’ve landed around it but never on it,” she said as the Doctor shoved the Scanner to the side and began plugging in the coordinates. 

“Would you want to land on Halloween?” The Doctor asked, raising an eyebrow at Ariel as he started up the time rotors.

Ariel rushed back into the jumpseat and grabbed the railing before she was thrown off her feet. 

“I don’t think so,” she decided with a shake of her head. “I like watching scary movies and all but when I was younger I looked into the history of Halloween and it wound up just leaving me spooked out every thirty-first.”

“Do I dare ask?” The Doctor smiled.

Ariel shook her head furiously. “I wouldn’t,” she sighed.

The Tardis landed with the familiar wheezing and a thud and the Doctor sighed as he glanced at the scanner. “Here we are,” he announced. “London, Earth. November first, 2010.”

“We’ve been visiting Earth a lot recently,” Ariel remarked. “Usually, we’re evenly distributed between alien planets and Earth,” she said as they walked out into the warehouse the alien was thought to be in.

“Well, if you haven’t noticed the last few trips to alien planets ended when River graffitied the oldest cliff face in the universe and we were stranded in the wasteland of the Crimson Heart,” the Doctor reminded her with a sigh. “I’d say alien planets don’t exactly bode well for us at the moment,” he said as he draped his arm over her shoulders.

“You may be right,” Ariel laughed. 

They glanced around the room and frowned when they found there seemed to be nothing there but old Halloween decorations and paraphernalia. The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and started scanning the warehouse while Ariel walked around to see if she could find anything out of the ordinary.

The warehouse was huge, but in the very distance, concealed mostly by shadows there was a man crouching on a box. 

Ariel frowned at the sight of the man and began rushing up to him. Had he not heard the loud wheezing from the Tardis?

“Excuse me,” Ariel called to the man. “Excuse me. My name is Ariel. I’m here with my fiancée and we were wondering if you could give us directions?” Ariel requested, putting on the front she and the Doctor usually used when inspecting an area. “Excuse me,” she called once again.

She walked up to the man’s side and tapped his shoulder to try and draw his attention, but screamed when he fell backwards and gazed up at her with peeling grey skin and wide vacant eyes.

The Doctor ran over to her at the sound of her scream. “Ariel!” He cried.

He bolted over to see her pacing the floor beside the dead boy with large, unblinking eyes. 

“I swear to God that scared me more than the Daleks,” Ariel gasped, as she gazed down at the boy. “What killed him?” She wondered, glancing over at the Doctor.

“First things first, are you alright?” The Doctor asked, rubbing her arms in comfort and gazing at her with concern in her eyes.

“Yeah,” Ariel assured him with a sigh. “I guess I’m just spooked knowing there’s something here but not knowing what it is,” she dismissed with a shrug. “I don’t know what to expect.”

The Doctor nodded, though still watched her with worry as he fished his sonic out of his screwdriver out of his coat. He scanned the body for a moment before narrowing his eyes at the readings.

“I don’t know what killed him,” the Doctor said. “The results are inconclusive.”

“Shit,” Ariel breathed.

“But he’s been dead for quite a while,” he shrugged. “A few days it seems like,” he observed as he glanced between the body and his sonic.

“That would explain the grey skin on a kid that looks like he’s still in secondary school,” Ariel nodded. “But you really don’t know what killed him?” She prompted, gazing up at the Doctor.

The Doctor glanced down and caught the uneasiness circling her grey eyes. “If you want, we can go back into the Tardis and plug the readings in,” he offered. “She might be able to come up with a result.”

“Yeah,” Ariel breathed, glancing back at the body with a small frown. “Let’s do that,” she nodded.

“Alright,” the Doctor said.

He reached out to take her hand but rather than accept the comfort, Ariel walked back up to the body and placed it on the box.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow at her and she just shrugged, sighing softly as she took his hand. 

“I didn’t like the sight of him just lying there staring up at the ceiling with those unblinking eyes,” she said.

The Doctor nodded, accepting her reasoning before pulling her into the Tardis. They headed up to the console and the Doctor plugged his sonic into the Tardis. It whirred and began processing the readings. 

As the Tardis worked out the readings off the body, the Doctor turned and pulled Ariel into a tight hug. “Are you sure you’re alright?” The Doctor prompted. 

“Yeah,” Ariel nodded. The Doctor pulled out of the hug and cupped her cheeks delicately. “It just startled me, that’s all,” she shrugged.

“Okay,” the Doctor mumbled, his eyes screaming that he did not believe her. “If you’re sure you’re alright.”

“I’ll be okay,” Ariel assured him with a nod. “Though your concern is quite adorable,” she remarked with a soft giggle.

The Doctor grinned and pressed a kiss to her forehead. He turned to take a look at the readings but before he could decipher them, they heard the door to the warehouse creak open and a distant voice call out. 

“Hello?” The boy called into the warehouse. “I-I need to borrow somebody’s mobile if you’ve got one or a phone or something. My bike’s got a flat, I have to call my Mum.”

Ariel frowned as she glanced back at the Doctor. “Should I go get him?” She asked. “Make sure whatever’s in here doesn’t hurt him?”

“Just one second,” the Doctor said, holding up a single finger. “I need to check these readings really quick.”

“What do they say?” Ariel asked, tiptoeing forward and glancing at the screen in Gallifreyan.

“Inconclusive,” the Doctor mumbled, his frown deepening as he read. “That’s impossible.”

“Oh, great,” Ariel moaned. “Now we  _ really  _ don’t know what we’re facing.”

“No, Ariel, the Tardis has records of every creature I’ve faced, met or heard about for nine hundred years. If whatever is in this warehouse isn’t in those records,” he trailed off and Ariel’s eyes grew wide as saucers. 

“Bloody hell,” Ariel gasped. 

“As fascinating as this is, judging by the body back there i’m guessing whatever it is isn’t friendly,” the Doctor sighed. “Though it could just be scared,” he proposed with a shrug. “Alien planet, no other members of its race for light years,” he shrugged.

“I suppose it could be either,” Ariel nodded, a bit more calm once they got a grasp on the possible motives of the creature. “Lashing out because it’s afraid.”

“The Krafayis did the same thing and we made the mistake of judging too quickly then. We can’t do the same to whatever this creature is,” the Doctor said.

All of a sudden, there was a sharp scream from the boy who had entered. The Doctor and Ariel shared a wide eyed look before running out after him, only to find the boy staring down at the dead body with large eyes.

“It’s alright,” Ariel assured the boy who let out a yelp of surprise as he jumped and turned to the Doctor and Ariel.

“Who are you?” The boy frowned. “Did you-,” he began, gesturing to the dead man with large eyes.

“I’m the Doctor and this is Ariel,” the Doctor introduced, waving to himself and Ariel each in turn. “Someone else did that long before we got here,” he hummed. “But never mind that. Ariel?” He prompted.

The brunette nodded and fished her mobile out of her pocket. “Here,” she said, handing her mobile to the boy. “Phone your Mum, then we’ll get you home.”

“Thanks,” the boy sighed softly and smiled at her before accepting the mobile and punching in his mother’s number.

The Doctor frowned as he glanced back at the dead man. He had resumed his crouching position over the box, his spine entirely straight as though he were actually alive and crouching.

“Hold on a moment,” the Doctor murmured, tapping Ariel’s shoulder gently before heading over to the man.

“Doctor?” Ariel prompted with a small frown. She glanced back at the young boy who was telling his mother about his flat tire. She sighed softly and against her better judgment followed the Doctor back to the body.

He was sonicking the body once more and Ariel frowned. “Didn’t you already sonic it?”

“Yes, but look at it,” the Doctor instructed, waving to the body as he continued to scan. “Something is animating him like some sort of puppet.”

“Why would the creature do that?” Ariel wondered, shaking her head aimlessly. 

“I dunno,” the Doctor mumbled. “But if it is really just lost and scared then something is definitely not right here,” he hummed.

Before he could figure out what it was, the boy walked back up to them and returned Ariel’s mobile.

“Thanks, luckily my Mum wasn’t too worried,” he smiled. “I’m Louie, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you, Louie,” Ariel grinned. “Let’s get you home, shall we?” She sighed. She placed her hand on Louie’s shoulder kindly and began heading out with him. “Doctor?” She called over her shoulder.

The Doctor passed on last curious glance at the body before nodding and following them. “I’m coming,” he said.

They started heading out of the warehouse to get Louie home but the sound of a loud grandfather clock ticking amidst the Halloween decorations had them all stopping in their tracks and glancing back with frowns.

“What-?” Louie began, but before he could finish his thought, the doors to the warehouse slammed closed loudly in front of them.

The trio all ran up to it desperately and tried to pull at the doors but they didn’t budge. 

Ariel stepped back with large eyes and took a deep breath. “Oh, I’m not liking this at all,” she hummed. 

“I know,” the Doctor nodded and pulled out his sonic to scan the area. “Whatever this creature is, I don’t think it’s just here for a spot of tea,” he mumbled.

“What creature?” Louie frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“There’s something else in here with us,” Ariel sighed. The three of them slowly backed away from the door, backing away from the doors slowly and glancing around the warehouse wildly to search for whatever had closed the doors. “That’s why we’re here.”

“I think it might have been what animated the body back there,” the Doctor nodded. “Because whoever that was had been dead for days and yet he was sitting upright as though he was still breathing.”

Louie had a million questions running through his mind, but before he could voice any of them in the hopes of getting answers, something scurried across his foot.

He glanced down and found dozens of spiders dashing across the floorboards. 

“Oh, my God!” Louie gasped, and jumped back at the sight.

Ariel and the Doctor followed his line of sight with curious frowns before their eyes grew wide at the infestation of spiders running across the floor. 

Just behind them, a large spider climbed up the wall and bared its fangs at the trio, it hissed before jumping out at them.

Luckily, the Doctor caught sight of the spider just before it leapt. He wrapped his arms around Ariel and Louie and pulled them to the ground with a hurried cry of, “duck!”

The spider jumped over them and joined the infestation in running across the warehouse. 

“Plug your ears,” the Doctor instructed Ariel and Louie.

They did as he said without question and he used the sonic screwdriver to emit a high-pitched frequency, clearing a path through the spiders and allowing them to get back to the floor surrounding the Tardis where the spiders had not wandered.

They ran through the path and watched as the spiders scattered to recover the clearing the Doctor had made in a matter of seconds. 

“If this-If this is all some creature, then what happened to the bloke back there?” Louie asked, frowning as he watched the spiders. “You said the creature was animating him, so would it have left him alone?”

“That’s a good question,” Ariel remarked with a nod. 

“Let’s go have a look shall we?” The Doctor hummed. He held out his hand to Ariel and she took it as they headed around the Tardis, back to where the man had been. 

However, when they arrived, they found the man was nowhere around the box. 

“Okay, that’s creepy,” Louie frowned. “He was dead, wasn’t he?”

“Dead as a doornail,” the Doctor nodded, falling to his knees and using his sonic to pry open the box. 

“Then, what? That creature or whatever you two are chasing made him just get up and walk away? And why are you even chasing this thing? Who are you? What is it?” Louie asked.

The Doctor simply rolled his eyes at the countless questions while Ariel took a deep breath and turned to Louie. She was often the one providing answers to the questions of the people around them in these types of situations.

“First question. The creature may have made him get up and walk away. We don’t know yet and we certainly don’t know the full extent of what this thing can do,” Ariel explained and Louie nodded slowly as he digested the information. “Second question. We’re chasing this creature because it’s an alien potentially posing a threat to a whole lot of people if we don’t stop it. That’s who we are and that’s what we do,” she said. “The Doctor is an alien and I’m a human and together we stop alien threats from harming people.”

“Hold on, he’s an alien?” Louie frowned, glancing back at the Doctor and frowning. “He looks human.”

“It’s a big universe, Louie,” Ariel chuckled. “Do you really think there aren’t aliens that we look just like out there?”

“Well, no, but-.”

“Exactly,” Ariel smiled. She walked over to the Doctor and knelt by his side, cautiously glancing into the box with a small frown. “What is it?” She asked.

“Just bits of scrap metal and some machinery,” the Doctor sighed, tossing a scrap of metal back into the box. “I figured it might be what was animating the man, but it doesn’t seem to be hooked up to anything. It’s as if someone just lobbed a spare bit off a machine and tossed it here,” he shrugged.

“Is it important?” Ariel asked. 

“I don’t think so,” the Doctor shook his head. “It’s probably just some piece of machinery for one of the Halloween decorations here,” he said.

Just then, there was the faint groan of wood being stepped upon or rather rolled across. They turned to the noise and found the man, his skin rotting and eyes blank, rolling up in a wooden wheelchair rolling up to them. 

His face was frozen in the ghost of his last expression before he passed on, but his arms were moving as though he were still alive.

“Oh, my God,” Ariel gasped.

“Get behind me,” the Doctor murmured. “Both of you,” he instructed, pulling both Ariel and Louie behind him before stepping up to the dead man. He took a deep breath before addressing the dead man. “I'm speaking to you, the entity that is using this deceased human,” the Doctor said. “I request parley in compliance with the Shadow Proclamation.”

“I do not care about your silly Shadow Proclamation,” the man hissed through clenched teeth. “I was the one who killed this silly little human and am now using his body to speak to you,” he hummed, his tone conveying that he was practically amused with the idea.

“Why?” Ariel wondered.

“‘Why’?” The man echoed, snarling the word at Ariel.

She was unphased by his attempts to be cruel, and simply nodded. “Yeah, why use the body of a man you killed to talk to us? What could you possibly want?”

The man smiled and Ariel grimaced as a piece of skin fell from the man’s face with the movement of his cheeks. “Your fear,” he hissed.

Louie’s eyes widened as he spotted a pair of red eyes gleaming from just behind them, concealed within the darkness of the warehouse. The eyes began to glow brighter and he sucked in a sharp breath. 

“Doctor, Ariel!” He cried. 

The couple spun around and Louie just shoved them in front of the Tardis for cover just as the red eyes shot out two bursts of energy. The energy narrowly missed them, but caught the man the creature had killed and blew his head off his neck. 

It rolled across the floorboards and Ariel winced at the sight. “That is just disgusting,” she mumbled.

“You’re telling me,” Louie nodded. 

The Doctor sighed softly and pulled out his sonic as the eyes fired off another blast which hit the wall of the warehouse and created two perfectly shaped holes within the wood.

“Doctor,” Ariel frowned when she turned to him and spotted his actions. “What are you doing?”

“I need to get a proper look at whatever’s firing at us,” the Doctor shrugged. “If I can get a look at it, maybe I can stop it.”

“Oh, this is just like the Pandorica all over again,” Ariel moaned.

“What?” Louie frowned. 

“Nothing,” Ariel and the Doctor said in unison.

“Look,” the Doctor sighed. “Do you have any better ideas?”

Ariel took a deep breath and rolled her eyes. “Oh, I really wish I had a better idea right now,” she groaned. 

The Doctor chuckled softly and cupped her cheek. “I’ll be gone two seconds,” he promised.

“Yeah, it’s what could happen in those two seconds that worries me,” Ariel murmured. 

“It’ll be fine,” the Doctor assured her. He pressed a kiss to her forehead before jumping out in front of the two eyes and pointing his sonic as though it were a weapon at the two red eyes.

“Is he going to be fine?” Louie asked Ariel with a small frown.

“Probably not,” Ariel sighed. “But he hardly ever is anyway,” she shrugged.

The blasts seemed to stop and the Doctor narrowed his eyes at whatever was behind the two red eyes. “Hello,” the Doctor hummed. “What are you?”

“What is it?” Ariel called.

“You two can come out now,” the Doctor assured them. “It’s safe,” he promised. “I’ve stopped the blasts for now.”

Ariel nodded and walked out while Louie continued to cower behind the Tardis, glancing out in worry. 

“Are you sure?” Louie asked. “Because I don’t like the ‘for now’ bit of that.”

“For the moment, I think whatever this creature is is just sulking planning what it’s going to do next,” the Doctor informed him.

Louie cautiously stepped out and followed Ariel and the Doctor’s line of sight to see the source of the red energy blasts.

“It looks like some sort of crystal skull,” Ariel frowned.

“Mmm,” the Doctor nodded as he stepped closer to the skull. “Not only that but it looks like it’s-.”

“Throbbing,” Louie finished, his tone breathy and afraid. The couple turned to him and found him pressing his hand against his chest and staring at them with large eyes. “Not just that, it’s throbbing with the beat of my heart. Does that mean that thing is going to kill me next?”

“No,” Ariel frowned, shaking her head as she walked over to him and placed her hand onto his chest as she watched the skull. “I don’t think it’s that simple because that creature, it said it wanted our fear.”

“And the only reason it killed the man was to use him to make you and Louie afraid,” the Doctor nodded, coming to the same realization.

“I don’t think it wants to kill us. I think it wants to keep us in here afraid,” Ariel said. “It’s feeding off our fear so everytime we stop it, it’s missing out.”

“Which is why it started shooting at us,” the Doctor agreed. “It wants to stop us from escaping its little traps. Which means,” he trailed off.

Louie’s eyes grew wide as just behind the Doctor’s head, the eyes of the skull began glowing bright red once again.

“Doctor, look out!” Louie cried and the trio all bolted away before the skull could shoot and kill the Doctor.

“Of course, it would want to kill me,” the Doctor moaned. “I’m the one putting an end to all your clever little tricks, ain’t I?!” He cried.

Ariel took deep breaths and tried to calm the adrenaline rushing through her system before she turned to Louie and saw him more panicked than ever. 

“Louie, you need to calm down,” she instructed. “This thing is feeding off of your fear. If you keep allowing it to get inside your head and scare you, it’ll only grow stronger,” she said. “If you stay calm and remain brave, it can’t hurt you.”

“Are you sure?” Louie mumbled.

“Sort of,” Ariel shrugged. “But right now, it’s a pretty damn good theory don’t you think? Don’t allow this creature to control you or you’re just giving it more power.”

Louie took a deep breath and nodded. He closed his eyes and calmed his heart rate before peering out at the skull. It was still firing off energy blasts, but now he knew he had the courage to do what needed to be done. He stepped out to the right of the Tardis on the opposing side of where the blasts were being fired. 

He picked up the large box of metal and machinery and used the metal to deflect the blast of the skull. It was fired back around to the skull and shattered it into pieces.

Ariel laughed and clapped victoriously for Louie as he stared at the skull with wide eyes, unable to quite believe that he had just done that.

“Alright, Louie,” the Doctor hummed, clapping him on the shoulder and beaming at the shattered skull. “That was really good,” he nodded.

Their smiles all fell when the rebounded energy blast started to create a fire enveloping first the skull, then the wooden floorboards of the warehouse.

“That’s not,” the Doctor sighed. He took Louie’s hand and grabbed Ariel’s hand with his other along the way to the front door of the Tardis. “Come on!” He cried as he shoved open the Tardis door. “In, in, in!” He shouted.

“Into a police box?” Louie frowned. 

“Trust me, it’s not what it seems,” the Doctor sighed. He waved the pair of them inside and slammed the door shut behind them.

Leaving Louie gaping at the large interior, he ran up the steps to the console and frowned at the controls. “Louie, what’s your address?”

“Erm,” Louie hesitated, pointing up at the bigger on the inside than the outside aspect of the Tardis.

“Yes, yes,” the Doctor nodded. “It’s bigger on the inside. I’ve heard it a hundred times before. Now, if you want to beat that fire you might wanna hurry up and at least tell me the street you live on so I can plug something into the coordinates,” he sighed.

Louie’s jaw dropped and Ariel just laughed. “I told you he was an alien,” she shrugged. 

“Erm, Bywater Street,” Louie mumbled. 

“Brilliant,” the Doctor smiled and plugged in the coordinates.

“You might want to hold on,” Ariel advised just before the Doctor pulled the lever to start up the time rotors.

“Why?” Louie frowned, but his question was quickly answered when the Doctor set the Tardis in motion and he was thrown off his feet onto the ground.

Ariel laughed and the Doctor chuckled and shook his head.

“I did warn you,” Ariel sighed.

They landed and Ariel hopped off the jumpseat to run and help Louie to his feet. 

“You alright?” She prompted with a small smile.

“Yeah,” Louie sighed, rubbing his head where he had fallen backwards. 

“Well, here we are,” the Doctor said, walking down the steps and grinning at Louie. “Bywater Street, November first, about oh,” he frowned and pulled out his watch to glance at the golden watch on his wrist. “Fifteen minutes are you phoned your mother on Ariel’s phone.”

The couple just smiled at him and Louie frowned. “What, and that’s just it?”

“Yeah,” the Doctor shrugged. 

“Should there be anything else?” Ariel asked with a small frown.

“Can-Can I bring my cousin in here?” Louie asked hesitantly. “Not for a trip or anything, I just wanna show her all of this,” he said, grinning up at the large Tardis.

The Doctor and Ariel shared a smile.

“Y’know, I’ve never actually seen Guy Fawkes day,” Ariel shrugged.

“Mmm,” the Doctor nodded. “Well, that’s something we simply cannot allow,” he hummed. “What do you say, Louie? How about we extend this journey for one more trip?”

“But how can your spaceship go to Guy Fawkes day?” Louie wondered with a small frown. “It’s on the fifth.”

“It’s not just a spaceship,” Ariel smiled. “It’s a time machine as well.”

“No,” Louie gasped, his eyes inflating at the very idea. “Seriously?”

“Well, you didn’t think that whole ordeal lasted fifteen minutes did you?” The Doctor laughed and Louie shook his head wildly. 

“This is too much, I have to tell Millie,” Louie breathed and with that, he ran out of the Tardis, across the street to his home. 

“Who’s Millie?” Ariel frowned.

“His cousin?” The Doctor guessed with a shrug. “But never mind that, have you really never been to a Guy Fawkes day?”

“Mum was strangely protective over it,” Ariel nodded. “I dunno why she was, but I know the history and I’ve watched recordings of it.”

“Oh, but that’s not the same,” the Doctor pouted. “Right, now we  _ have  _ to go,” he insisted and Ariel laughed.

The Tardis door creaked open just then and Louie walked in with his cousin Millie. They looked a lot alike and even seemed similar in age. The both had short, dark hair, pale faces, bright green eyes, and short physical frames.

“Oh, my God, you weren’t kidding!” Millie exclaimed. “It is! It really is!” She laughed. 

“I told you,” Louie chuckled and nodded.

“Hello,” the Doctor smiled. “I’m the Doctor and this is Ariel,” he introduced, waving to the girl on the opposite end of the console room.

“Hello,” Ariel grinned, waving kindly.

“I’m Millie,” the girl nodded.

“Pleasure,” the Doctor hummed. “Now, who’s ready for Bonfire Night?” He grinned.

“Wait, we’re actually going?” Millie gasped. “We’re going to the future to see Bonfire Night?”

The Doctor just smirked and pulled a lever on the console. “Hang on,” he instructed.

The Doctor set the time rotors in motion and the Tardis lurched before wheezing and dematerializing from Bywater Street to reappear in the dead of night in a small field where a crowd had gathered and a Guy Fawkes effigy was being strapped up.

“Whoa,” Millie gasped as she stepped out and realized they truly had transported in space and time.

“I know right,” Louie chuckled. 

“Yeah, you never get used to it,” Ariel hummed, grinning as she grabbed the Doctor’s hand and leant her head on his arm. 

Burning torches were set up around the field and a few more effigies of different celebrities were brought in and strapped up around the Guy Fawkes effigy.

They watched happily as the crowd continued to arrive and a few men set up fireworks for the event. Once everyone was ready, they lit the fireworks.

“Three, two, one!” The men cried and set off the fireworks. 

The crowd marvelled at the fireworks, giving the men a chance to bring the flaming torches over so they could set the effigies ablaze. 

Once the fireworks ended, one of the men was already standing beside the Guy Fawkes effigy to set it on fire. He placed his torch on the effigy and it slowly began to burn.

That was, until it jumped to life along with all the other effigies.

The crowd screamed and ran for the hills as the effigies jumped down and started running through the field, the Guy Fawkes effigy still on fire as it did so.

“I take it that’s not what’s supposed to happen?” Ariel winced.

“Not exactly,” Millie squeaked.

“We need to get back to the Tardis,” the Doctor breathed. “ _ Now _ .”

The four of them all ran across the field, back to where the Doctor had parked the Tardis and bolted inside. 

Louie slammed the door shut tight behind them and glanced up at the Doctor with worry in his eyes as the man ran up to the console and typed something into the scanner.

“They can’t get in here right?” Louie asked, hoping the Doctor would say there’s not a chance. 

“The assembled hordes of Genghis Khan couldn't get through that door,” the Doctor chuckled. “And believe me, they've tried,” he nodded.

“What was that?!” Millie exclaimed. “What made the dummies come to life?”

“Was it the alien from the warehouse?” Louie asked. “Is it still alive?”

“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out,” the Doctor assured them with a nod. “Right now, I just need to check and see how widespread this thing is.”

“What, this could be happening across London?” Ariel guessed with a small frown. “Does that creature really have that much strength?”

“Oh, it’s got more than enough,” the Doctor hummed. He turned the scanner so the group could see and turned up the volume so they could hear.

It was on BBC news and the reported was broadcasting in front of Downing Street while in the distance fearful screams could be heard.

“Widespread panic this Bonfire Night as the effigies, set to be burned on this national holiday have seemingly come to life right across the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister is set to make a statement within the hour about this terrifying event.”

“That’s got to be the alien,” Louie nodded as the Doctor shut off the scanner.

“Yes, it could be,” the Doctor conceded. “But the question is, how did it survive the fire?” He sighed. 

“We should go back to the warehouse,” Ariel nodded. “There’s got to be something there we missed.”

“Alright,” the Doctor mumbled. “But just to be safe I’m parking across the street. I don’t want to risk accidentally running into the creature if it’s still in there.”

He started up the time rotors and the Tardis lurched, wheezing as it materialized across from the warehouse. 

The four of them all walked out and the Doctor narrowed his eyes. Upon first glance it appeared in complete ruin, but when he studied it closer, he saw the warehouse had barely retained any damage.

The alien had put a perception filter over the warehouse so they would think it was dead. 

“It’s just like Craig’s flat,” Ariel breathed. “The top floor wasn’t there and the warehouse-.”

“Is actually still standing,” the Doctor nodded. “Louie, Millie, stay inside the Tardis. Ariel and I need to go have a chat with whatever this creature is.”

“No,” Millie frowned. “I’m not waiting around in the Tardis you two may or may not be killed.”

“She’s right,” Louie nodded. “If you two get into trouble you’re going to need help.”

“We do this sort of thing all the time,” Ariel signed. “Neither of you signed on for this and neither of you should be put at risk for it.”

“That doesn’t matter,” Millie shook her head. “We want to help,” she insisted, crossing her arms and glaring at Ariel.

The Doctor sighed softly and raked his fingers through his hair. “Alright, you can come, but this is going to be dangerous,” he warned.

“What’s wrong with dangerous?” Millie smiled.

Ariel chuckled and grinned. “Oh, I like you,” she hummed and the Doctor laughed. “Come on,” she waved the pair along with her and the Doctor as they crossed the street to the warehouse.

They shoved the door open and marched inside the warehouse where bright flickering lights and a strange humming sound were emanating.

They walked further inside and saw a spherical craft, hovering just below the roof in the very center of the room.

“Bloody hell,” Louie breathed.

A newly rejuvenated version of the man they had seen with flesh rotting off of his skin marched out in a fresh set of clothes and grinned at the group.

“That is just creepy,” Ariel muttered.

“Ah, I knew you’d figure it out eventually,” the man hummed.

“The creature, it’s got control of that man’s body doesn’t it?” Louie guessed.

“Yes,” the Doctor breathed. “Yes, it does.”

“What do you mean?” Millie asked with a small frown.

“When the three of us first got here that bloke had been dead for days. The creature that brought the effigies to life is controlling him. He made him look young again,” Louie mumbled.

“I’m granting you one warning,” the Doctor said. “Leave that body and leave this planet, or else.”

“Oh, Doctor, what could you possibly do to me?” The man chuckled. “Can you feel it?” He sighed, closing his eyes as though he were relishing in the purest ecstasy. “Right across this slab of land everyone is terrified. Their fear is powering my ship and ultimately will be what destroys them.”

“What do you mean?” Ariel frowned.

“Fusion engines, Miss Ariel,” the man smiled. “Once fully powered, I can atomize everything in a 20-mile radius and there’s not a thing you and your silly little band of heroes can do.”

“What makes you think that?” Louie asked, glaring at the man.

“Unless, you can quiet the fears of a whole country within minutes I don’t see how you can stop me,” he laughed.

“Last chance,” the Doctor said. “Leave this planet, or else,” he warned.

“Or else, what, Doctor?” The man chuckled.

“Or else, I’ll have to stop you,” the Doctor said, holding up his sonic screwdriver solemnly.

The creature’s eyes blazed for a single moment before he laughed and a sharp gust of wind sent the Doctor lurching forward. The sonic screwdriver fell from his hands and onto the ground.

“Don’t play games with me,” the creature hummed. He shot out a bolt of electricity and shocked the Doctor, making him fall to his knees and cry out in pain.

“Doctor!” Ariel shrieked. She raced towards the sonic only to be shot down with a jolt of electricity just like the Doctor. She yelled in pain and fell to the ground while the creature just chuckled and tutted at her.

“It was a nice try, sweetie,” the man hummed.

Millie and Louie stared at the creature with large eyes, frozen in fear as they looked down at the fallen bodies of the Doctor and Ariel.

“What do we do?” Millie breathed.

Louie furrowed his eyebrows and tried to remember all the Doctor and Ariel had told him about the creature. 

_ “This thing is feeding off of your fear. If you keep allowing it to get inside your head and scare you, it’ll only grow stronger. If you stay calm and remain brave, it can’t hurt you.” _

He remembered Ariel saying, back when he thought his heart was going to beat out of his chest in fear.

_ “Don’t allow this creature to control you or you’re just giving it more power.” _

“Calm down,” Louie breathed, grabbing his cousin’s hand and turning to her with large eyes. 

“What?!” Millie hissed. “How am I supposed to be calm? That thing just took down Ariel and the Doctor like they were nothing!”

“No I know, but you’re giving him power,” Louie insisted. “The creature only hurt Ariel and the Doctor because they weren’t afraid. Look,” he said, nodding to the man who was just watching them with a bemused grin. “He’s not even trying to hurt us because we’re afraid and he’s not going to want something that’s giving him power to go away.”

“Well, what should we do?” Millie wondered. “If we stop being afraid, he’ll just attack us.”

“Maybe, that’s what we need,” Louie mumbled as he glanced across the floor at the sonic screwdriver. 

“What do you mean?” Millie frowned. 

“Distract him,” Louie instructed. “Tell him you’re not afraid. Even if you are, lie and tell him you’re not afraid. If you do it well enough, he’ll believe you and you might believe it too,” he smiled.

“Alright,” Millie sighed, glancing back at the creature and nodding slowly as more nerve and willingness to do what Louie was suggesting crept into her body. “But what are you going to do?”

“I’m going to grab the Doctor’s screwdriver,” Louie nodded. “The Doctor was threatening him with it so it must be able to shut down the ship. To stop it from turning London into atoms.”

“Okay,” Millie nodded. “Be careful.”

“You too,” Louie smiled. 

Millie ran out first to try and distract him and Louie watched carefully, waiting for the right moment to run for the sonic.

“Hey, mister!” Millie yelled.

The creature turned to Millie with a bemused grin and a raised brow. “What is it, dear? Have you finally decided to surrender to your darkest fears? Please say yes, I’m sure my ship could be fueled beyond its limits with all your fears swirling through it.”

“No,” Millie shook her head. “I just wanted to say I’m not afraid of you no matter how weird what you did to that bloke is,” she said, wincing as she gestured to his body.

“Is that so?” The man chuckled.

“Yeah,” Millie stated firmly. “I’m not afraid of you because I know what you are.”

“And what is that?”

“You’re not a kind or even remotely interesting alien. You’re just a sad thing in the suit of a man who was much braver than you’ll ever be!” She snapped.

As the man’s eyes blazed and he began marching toward Millie, Louie knew this was his time to run. He bolted after the sonic while the man sneered at Millie.

“If you think for one minute that you’re fooling anyone Earth girl you would be sadly mistaken. I can hear your heart racing from across this stingy warehouse and I know that while you may hope you have fooled yourself into believing you are not afraid, you are really still just a scared little  _ child _ ,” the creature spat.

Millie winced, but luckily, she didn’t have to find it within her to fight back against the alien. 

Louie snatched the sonic off the ground and aimed it at the ship. Rather than powering everything down, he overpowered it and the ship buzzed with energy while the lights shined as bright as possible.

“What have you done?” The creature gasped. 

“Gave you a taste of what it’s like to be afraid,” Louie smirked.

Sparks shot out of every end of the ship, flying across the warehouse as the man cried out in terror.

He began to age rapidly, going from a seemingly fit teenager, to an adult to an elderly man within minutes as he screamed.

Ariel and the Doctor groaned as they got up. The Doctor scrambled to help Ariel to her feet and they watched with large eyes as Louie continued to point the sonic at the ship and overload it.

“Emergency, overheating. Self-destruct imminent,” the computer in the ship announced.

The man screamed as he slowly began to wrinkle more and more before withering away.

“Okay, that’s our signal to go!” The Doctor cried. “Come on!” He waved Millie and Louie out the door. 

“But what about the ship?” Millie frowned.

“By the looks of things, that’s going to take care of itself,” Ariel chuckled. “Come on, out the door before we become part of the blast,” she instructed.

They all ran outside and across the street, just in time to watch the warehouse explode as the ship was destroyed. 

“That’s one Bonfire Night I won’t forget,” Ariel hummed and the group laughed as they watched the warehouse sizzle with the flames. 

“Hold on, there’s still one thing I don’t get,” Louie frowned as he turned around to face Ariel and the Doctor. “I used your screwdriver to overload the ship, but why did that make the creature die?”

“He was connected to it,” the Doctor nodded. “The fear the ship but it also fed him as well. When you overloaded it on fear, he became overwhelmed. Ages and withered away into nothing,” he sighed.

“I didn’t mean to kill him,” Louie frowned. “I knew what he was doing was wrong, but I didn’t want to actually kill him.”

“You did the right thing, Louie,” Ariel assured the boy, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “He wasn’t somebody you could reason with. He just wanted to hurt people, and you stopped that. Both of you,” she said, nodding to Millie as well.

“Yeah, we never should have even considered leaving you two behind seeing as at the end of it all you were the ones to save the day,” the Doctor said. “Louie and Millie, defenders of the Earth,” he hummed.

The two children shared a grin before looking up at beaming at the Doctor and Ariel, overwhelmed with joy at what they had just accomplished.

~~~

The Doctor flew the Tardis back to Bywater Street and landed her with a sigh. 

“Right then,” he nodded. “November first, Bywater Street. Right back where you two started,” he announced.

“It feels strange,” Louie frowned. “Going home after having seen all that.”

Ariel smiled and nodded. “It always does,” she chuckled. “But if you want my advice, you two should really consider doing this for a living. You’re good at it.”

“What, fighting aliens?” Millie frowned.

“Yeah,” Ariel nodded. “Because the Doctor and I, we’re not the only ones trying to stop alien threats. There are places like Torchwood and Unit where you can fight to protect the Earth.”

“Really?” They gasped in unison.

“Really,” the Doctor chuckled and nodded. 

“Though, until you’re out of school, why not pop round to 13 Bannerman Road?” She suggested. “Tell them we sent you.”

“Brilliant,” Louie grinned. He headed down the steps and made to leave the Tardis while Millie paused and eyed the couple carefully.

“Hang on, you’re not leaving are you?” Millie frowned.

The Doctor and Ariel shared and uneasy glance. This part was never easy.

“We’ve got to,” the Doctor shrugged. “There’s a whole great big universe out there that needs saving.”

“Stay,” Millie requested. 

Ariel opened her mouth to argue the girl but Millie simply shook her head, already knowing what they thought she meant. 

“No, I don’t mean stay permanently,” she corrected. “I mean Louie’s Mum made toffee apples and it’d be brilliant if you two could come.”

Ariel and the Doctor smiled at each other and Ariel laughed as the Doctor nodded his head furiously.

“I suppose that’s a yes,” Ariel giggled.

“Brilliant!” Millie exclaimed. 

She ran down the steps to the console room and the Doctor and Ariel quickly followed, heading out of the Tardis to enjoy some toffee apples before leaving once again.


	31. Albert Einstein and the Fez

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually really enjoy writing Doctor Who minisodes. Here's the link if you haven't seen this one: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xpetbq

“Tell me, you’re not keeping that,” Ariel moaned as she and the Doctor marched down the steps to the console room, donning his brand new fez.

“Why is everyone so opposed to fezzes?” The Doctor sighed. “I love a fez. Fezzes are cool,” he grinned, pulling his fez off and twirling it around on his hand with a grin.

“Doctor, normally I’m the last person to stop you from having whatever makes you happy, but I just can’t go with the fez,” she shook her head, wincing at the sight of the bright red hat.

“Why not?” The Doctor whined. “I think it brings out my eyes,” he grinned, placing the fez on his head once again. He stretched his arms out and grinned as though trying to exhibit this very face.

“Makes my eyes hurt,” Ariel winced.

“Oh,” he pouted and pulled the fez off. “No matter,” he shrugged. “Maybe, I’ll just save it for the wedding day,” he proposed as he tossed the fez onto the console.

Ariel’s eyes widened and she spun back to him, glaring at the man she loved. “Oh, no, no, no, no, no,” she snapped. “I’m calling River,” she warned, grabbing her mobile from the console and unlocking it.

“No!” The Doctor cried. He bolted after her, but tripped as he was doing so and ended up hitting his chest against the console and accidentally pushing a lever. “Oops,” he winced.

Ariel turned around and smiled when she saw the Doctor. “Oh, my Doctor,” she sighed, equally amused and exasperated by the clumsiness of her fiancé.

“I didn’t mean to do that,” the Doctor insisted, raising his hands in surrender. Ariel chuckled and shook her head at him, but the smile quickly slipping away when she noticed a small wormhole-type swirl right on the steps that lead into the console room.

“Er, Doctor?” Ariel prompted, pointing at the wormhole.

“I definitely didn’t mean to do that,” the Doctor said with large eyes. He glanced down at the controls and frowned when he didn’t spot his fez. “Hold on. Where did my fez go?”

Ariel snorted. “There’s a strange event in the Tardis and the first question on the Doctor’s mind is where’s the fez?” She hummed.

“No, but seriously,” the Doctor insisted. “I had it here a second ago,” he mumbled.

“Huh,” Ariel frowned, finding herself fascinated by the event as well. “Well, did it fall off when you hit the lever?” She asked, walking over to the Doctor’s side and peering beneath the console to see if he dropped the fez.

“I didn’t think so,” the Doctor said, glancing down beneath the console as well just to be sure. They both completely missed when the wormhole disappeared and Albert Einstein popped out, holding a beaker of chemicals and donning the fez the Doctor had lost.

“Doctor?” Einstein gasped. “Miss Parsons!” He exclaimed in delight at the sight of the brunette. “That is you, is it?”

“Albert!” Ariel laughed, popping her head out from underneath the console and grinning at physicist. “Well, now we know where your fez went,” she mumbled, nodding to the man’s head with an amused grin.

“Oh, he looks terrible in that,” the Doctor moaned.

“And you look far better with it off,” Ariel nodded. “You have something in common,” she chuckled.

“Can either of you explain how my fez got here?” Albert asked, pointing to the bright red fez sat atop his head.

The Doctor groaned at the realization that the fez is Albert Einstein’s. He took a deep breath and feigned excitement at the sight of the physicist. “Albert!” The Doctor exclaimed. “Nice to see you! What are you doing here?” He asked with a small frown.

“Oh, I was working on my time machine, then it started shaking. I put my hand in to try to turned it off, went straight through it, and ended up here!” Albert exclaimed.

“You’re making a time machine?” Ariel frowned.

“How’s it going?” The Doctor asked. “Your ‘time machine’?” He said, placing air quotes around the words time machine as though to say Albert’s invention could never be a real time machine, at least not compared to his own.

“Oh, not great,” Albert sighed. “I’ve singed my eyebrows, almost died twice and fallen off a cliff.”

“Well, sounds like you’re off to a great start,” Ariel said sarcastically with a small laugh.

“Actually, I think I’m quite close to perfecting it,” Albert nodded and held up the beaker in his hand which contained a strange chemical. “I think this liquid is the key.”

The Doctor pulled out his sonic and happily scanned the liquid for Albert. When the results appeared, his eyes widened and he winced at the physicist. “Uh, yes,” he mumbled. He glanced over at Albert and shook his head. “No,” he breathed.

“Well, is it yes or no?!” Albert exclaimed.

“No,” the Doctor said, much more firmly this time.

Albert gasped sharply and his eyes widened. “So, how did I get here?” He wondered.

“Well, whatever it was it wasn’t a chemical still in its beaker,” Ariel frowned, unsure of why he thought that could be the source of his transportation when he hadn’t put it into his time machine yet.

“You’re the original owner of this fez,” the Doctor said, taking the fez off of Albert’s head and placing in on the Tardis console. “A fez I happened to be carrying during an unavoidable collision with this lever,” he said, pointing towards the lever on the console.

“Unavoidable?” Ariel snorted.

“Oi!” The Doctor snapped, and Ariel giggled as he tried to come off as stern towards her. “Anyway, my lever plus your fez equals time window in the Tardis,” he explained. “My Tardis, by the way, so don’t get any clever ideas trying to steal it.”

“Again,” Ariel added with a nod and the Doctor winced as he remembered when Albert hopped into the Tardis and tried to fly it home after the party at Frank Sinatra’s.

“But you said you were going to give my toothbrush back,” Albert reminded the Doctor with a raised brow.

“Oh, you still have his toothbrush?” Ariel frowned.

“Oh, yeah, the Daleks kind of exterminated it a year ago,” the Doctor mumbled.

“Fine,” Albert sighed. He had already bought a new toothbrush anyway. “Going back to this,” he said, gesturing to the chemical in the beaker. “I guess it’s not bionic fusion liquid.”

“Never mind,” the Doctor shrugged and snatched the beaker from Albert’s hands. He flipped open a small device on the console. “Pass it to me. I’ll just run some tests,” he assured the man.

Before he could do anything, Albert snatched the liquid right back and hugged it to his chest as though it were his own child. “I got it!” He exclaimed. “I’ll do the tests.”

The Doctor just rolled his eyes and sighed softly while Ariel laughed. “That’s the twentieth century physicist for you,” the Doctor hummed. “Always wanting to do it themselves.”

“Or maybe it’s because last time you ran some tests for him you blew up his lab,” Ariel proposed with a raised brow.

“Oh, that wasn’t my fault,” the Doctor moaned. “I was making discoveries!”

“Where have you put my bicarbonated processing machine, eh?” Albert implored, glancing around the console room as though they were hiding it from him. “I need something better to work with than this old trash!” He snapped.

Ariel groaned and slammed her head down on the console. “Here we go,” Ariel sighed.

The Doctor turned to Albert with a hand on his hips and daggers in his eyes. “Old trash?!” The Doctor roared. “I’ll have you know this old trash will be around till the end of time. In fact! It was!”

“Why must you two always fight over the Tardis?” Ariel hummed.

“Well, I’m sorry I don’t take kindly to _certain_ people,” he spat at Albert as he physicist stood on the steps, oddly shuddering. “Call my Tardis old trash,” he mumbled.

Ariel giggled and rolled her eyes. “The Tardis is beautiful, Doctor and you and I both know it. We should just leave it at that,” she insisted with a nod.

“Oh, it’s not like his opinion matters,” the Doctor dismissed with a wave of his hand. “The Tardis will outlive him anyway,” he said and Ariel snorted in amusement.

“Well, that’s one way to move past your differences,” she sighed. She plopped back into the jumpseat while the Doctor paused and frowned at the controls.

“Ah, and Albert I almost forgot, whatever you do, do not drink that liquid,” the Doctor instructed. “It may-.”

Ariel sucked in a sharp breath as Albert turned around but where his face had once been an Ood with red eyes replaced him. “Er, Doctor?” Ariel said, her voice shaky as she spoke. She pointed to Albert and the Doctor spun around and grinned at the sight of the Ood.

“Ah, I like your new look!” The Doctor exclaimed. “It’s an Ood, isn’t it? I can tell, you’ve got the wiggly bits and everything,” he beamed, imitating the moving tentacles around the mouth of the Ood.

“Death is the only answer,” the Ood said.

“Right, that’s not creepy at all,” Ariel remarked sarcastically.

“Oh, it’s fine,” the Doctor assured her with a wave of his hand and a shrug. “If he’s speaking that means he might be able to hear us,” he smiled. “Can you?” He prompted, raising an eyebrow at the Ood. “Hear us, I mean? If so, what’s your name?”

“Death is the only answer,” the Ood responded, marching closer to the couple.

“What do you mean?” The Doctor asked, keeping his lighthearted tone but grabbing Ariel’s hand and backing away slowly. “Answer to what?”

The Ood did not answer, but rather kept marching toward the pair.

“I don’t really think he’s in the chatty mood today, Doctor,” Ariel winced.

“Yeah, getting that,” the Doctor nodded. “He doesn’t want to seem to tell us either way, but wait,” he instructed, holding up a single finger and fishing something out of his coat. He pulled out a yo-yo and dangled it in front of the Ood to distract him. “This is what you’re looking for,” the Doctor assured the Ood. “A power source for your time machine, hmm?” He prompted, grinning at the Ood. “Ariel, flip that lever,” he murmured, pressing his lips against the war of the young girls so the Ood couldn’t hear.

Ariel nodded and did as he instructed and the Tardis shot out a blue wave of what appeared to be artron energy, drawing the attention of the Ood.

“What’s that supposed to do?” Ariel mumbled to the Doctor as the Ood marched toward it.

“Hopefully, counteract the effects of the chemicals and bring Albert back,” the Doctor replied. “Hopefully.”

The Ood was shocked by the artron energy and luckily, with a flew flickers between itself and Albert, the physicist returned but with his grey hair sticking up and a dazed look on his face.

“What just happened?” Albert gasped.

“Long story,” the Doctor winced.

“Kind of hard to explain,” Ariel nodded.

“You entered the Ood,” the Doctor said and when Albert’s eyes widened, the Doctor simply shrugged. “A bit,” he murmured. “Nice hair,” he remarked, pointing towards Albert’s large grey hair. “You should keep it,” he nodded. “Looks more science-y,” he smiled.

“I don’t feel too good,” Albert moaned, swaying on his feet. “Can you drop me off at home, please?” He requested before slowly falling into the Doctor and Ariel’s arms.

“Whoa, take it easy there!” Ariel exclaimed. She and the Doctor helped Albert move towards the jumpseat before dropping him down on it.

Albert sighed in relief at being let off his feet while the Doctor pulled out his sonic and scanned him.

“Is he alright?” Ariel frowned, glancing between the Doctor and Albert with worry.

“He’s going to be fine,” the Doctor assured her with a smile as he checked the readings off his sonic. “Bit woozy, but he should make a speedy recovery,” he nodded. The Doctor took a deep breath and tapped Albert’s chest gently. “Sorry about that,” the Doctor sighed. “Exactly, what year did you come from?”

“Uh, 1945 I think,” Albert mumbled.

“Oh, that sounds confident,” Ariel chuckled.

The Doctor hardly seemed to care as he ran up to the console and plugged in the coordinates. Ariel ran up and turned on the stabilizers before he could stop her. The Doctor groaned in defeat and Ariel laughed in victory as the Doctor wrapped his arms around her and placed a kiss to the top of her head. They landed with a familiar wheezing and Ariel grinned.

“Here we go!” The Doctor exclaimed. “1945! Eighteen of September, about two o'clock,” he mumbled as glanced down at his wristwatch.

The Doctor helped the physicist to his feet and wrapped his arm around the man as they headed down the steps to the front doors.

“Oh, well back to the drawing board,” Albert sighed. “I guess, you’re keeping the fez then,” he muttered.

Ariel’s eyes widened, grateful that Albert had reminded her before it was too late. If Albert had left without the fez, she would have been forced to call River or possibly find some way to get the fez into the heart of a black hole. She ran back up to the console and grabbed the fez.

“Yeah, well fezzes look better on me than you,” the Doctor shrugged. “Like bow ties,” he hummed.

“Oh well,” Albert sighed and held out a hand to shake the Doctor goodbye. “Goodbye!” He exclaimed.

“Goodbye, Albert,” the Doctor smiled and gave Albert a firm handshake goodbye.

When the Doctor darted back up to the console and Ariel grinned as she shuffled past her fiancé and rushed to Albert.

“Goodbye, Albert,” Ariel grinned.

“Goodbye, Ariel,” Albert said.

Ariel pulled Albert into a hug and when she pulled away she passed him the fez to which Albert greeted with large eyes.

“Consider it a parting gift,” Ariel nodded. “Now, go on,” she insisted, opening the door for Albert and waving the physicist through. “Before he sees you.”

“Why, thank you Miss Parsons. Thank you very much,” Albert smiled.

“Oh, no need to thank me,” Ariel sighed. “I’m doing this for the good of humanity,” she chuckled.

Albert laughed softly and waved goodbye one last time.

Ariel waved goodbye as well before closing the door tightly and running up the steps to the Doctor.

“Right then, let’s get out of here,” Ariel sighed. “Maybe, now we can pick up Ariel and Rory?” She proposed with a raised brow.

“Oh, but I just got word from them. They’ve taken a starliner from the asteroid. They’re perfectly fine,” he assured her.

“Alright,” Ariel muttered. “I just don’t want to be abandoning them while they’re bored to tears,” she shrugged.

“I know,” the Doctor smiled. “Now, let’s see if we can’t find you an alien planet.”

“Brilliant,” Ariel grinned.

The Doctor started up the time rotors and just as Ariel was beginning to think she was out of the woods and he wouldn’t notice the missing fez as they soared through space, she was sadly mistaken.

“Ariel!” The Doctor cried. “Did you give back my fez?!”

“Damn it,” Ariel moaned, caught red handed.


	32. A Christmas Carol

“Doctor!” Ariel cried as the console sparked once again. He yelped, jumping across the console room and trying to fly the Tardis alongside the starliner Amy and Rory were on.

The newlyweds had sent out a distress signal from the starliner they were spending their honeymoon on while the couple had been spending an evening on the planet Arkon. 

They had been spending the time planning their wedding and making a guest list when an alert on the Tardis pulled them away. 

Amy and Rory were on a crashing starliner and they needed help. 

Of course, it wasn’t easy getting the Tardis to fly right alongside the starliner. Often, the Tardis disappeared and just reappeared in another spot. For a spaceship she really didn’t do much flying.

“Doctor!” Ariel shrieked as a button exploded beside her. She yelped and jumped back only to be thrown into the railing behind her.

“I’m doing it!” The Doctor yelled.

Ariel raced forward, hitting her chest on the console as she blindly fumbled for the scanner to try and look outside and see where they were but all she spotted where a bunch of clouds.

“Why’d they have to spend their honeymoon on a bloody starliner,” Ariel moaned. “Why couldn’t they just stay put on the asteroid?”

“Better yet, why couldn’t they have just kept out of trouble all together?” The Doctor asked and let out a shout as the console sparked once again.

“Says the man who wound up battling a Krafayis on our anniversary,” Ariel laughed.

“Oi, you said you didn’t mind!” The Doctor reminded her with a pout.

Ariel just laughed and shook her head as the scanner beeped. Her eyes widened when she spotted the spiraling starliner, crashing down to the planet below.

“There it is!” Ariel exclaimed.

The Doctor jumped over with large eyes and smiled when he spotted the starliner. 

“Send the message, love!” He grinned.

Ariel nodded and typed out the message for the starliner. 

_ Come along Pond. _

“Sent!” Ariel exclaimed.

The Doctor pulled a lever on the console and the Tardis was sent flying into a thundercloud. Ariel was thrown off her feet and tumbled into the Doctor as the pair laughed.

“Merry Christmas,” Ariel giggled.

“Merry Christmas,” the Doctor returned with a chuckle. 

He took a deep breath and turned back to the console. Dematerializing her in mid air would be tricky, but not impossible. 

“Hold on!” The Doctor shouted.

Ariel’s eyes widened as she realized what he was about to do and followed his instructions. 

The Doctor sucked in a sharp breath and gripped one of the levers tightly. “Geronimo!” He cried and Ariel screamed as the Tardis disappeared mid air and reappeared on the roof of a rather large mansion.

They marched out of the Tardis and both shared a frown looking at the spot they had landed in and up to the sky.

The Doctor’s eyes widened when he spotted the chimney on the roof. He raced up to it and without even giving Ariel the chance to process what was happening, he began climbing inside. 

Ariel turned and spotted him and frowned. “Oh, God, look at that idiot,” she giggled. She turned to where the Doctor had been standing and her eyes inflated when she realized the man crawling inside the chimney was him.

The Doctor dropped inside with a scream and Ariel bolted over to the chimney and peered inside. “Oh, God, that’s my idiot,” Ariel moaned. 

She took a deep breath and glanced back at the Tardis, sincerely wishing she had learned to fly it.

“Damn it,” Ariel mumbled. “Ah, well. Here goes,” she shrugged. She sighed softly and climbed inside the chimney. “Geronimo!” She cried as she dropped down the chimney.

When she landed, she coughed up the soot and the Doctor helped her to her feet as she brushed more soot out of her face.

She glanced around and winced at the family and elderly man glaring at them. 

“Hello,” Ariel murmured, waving at them.

The Doctor’s eyes widened as he turned to the family and seemed to be taking notice of them for the first time as well. “Ah. Yes. Blimey. Sorry,” the Doctor frowned. “Christmas Eve on a rooftop,” he chortled. “Saw a chimney, my whole brain just went, what the hell,” he shrugged.

He walked over to the family and shook the hands of the two children staring at him as though he was some sort of mad man.  “Don't worry, fat fellow will be doing the rounds later,” he assured them. “We’re just scoping out the general chimney-ness,” he said, wincing at the odd word. He turned back to the chimney and smiled. “Yes,” he hummed. “Nice size, good traction. Big tick.”

“Fat fellow?” The father of the family prompted with a small frown.

“Yeah,” Ariel smiled. “Fat bloke. Big red suit. Eats  _ way _ too many cookies for his own good.”

“Father Christmas, Santa Claus or, as I've always known him, Jeff,” the Doctor nodded, grinning at the family.

“There’s no such person as Father Christmas,” the boy said with a frown.

“Oh, yeah?” The Doctor scoffed. He pulled out the black and white photograph of himself, Ariel, Albert Einstein, and Frank Sinatra from the hunting lodge. “Me, the fiancée, and Father Christmas, Frank Sinatra's hunting lodge, 1952,” the Doctor said. “See him at the back with the blonde? Albert Einstein. The four of us together. Brrm,” he hummed and Ariel suppressed a giggle. “Watch out. Okay? Keep the faith. Stay off the naughty list,” he advised the child with a smile as he placed the photograph back in his suit. 

The Doctor spotted what looked like a big cinema organ with flashing lights across the surface and grinned. “Ooo. Now, what's this then?” He hummed. “I love this. A big flashy lighty thing. That's what brought us here. Big flashy lighty things have got me written all over them. Not actually, but give me time, and a crayon,” he smiled.

“Doctor?” Ariel prompted, clearing her throat and grinning at the man as she noticed him falling into a ramble again.

“Right, yes of course,” the Doctor nodded. “That’s what I love about her,” he said to the children. “Keeps me on track,” he smiled and Ariel giggled and nodded. “Now, this big flashy lighty thing is connected to the spire in your dome, yeah?” He prompted, raising an eyebrow at the old man watching them. “And it controls the sky. Well, technically it controls the clouds, which technically aren't clouds at all. Well, they're clouds of tiny particles of ice. Ice clouds. Love that. Who's she?” He asked, spinning around to what looked to be some sort of cryostasis chamber where a blonde woman was frozen inside of it.

“Oh, she’s very pretty,” Ariel smiled, peering inside at the lady.

“She’s nobody important,” the old man snapped.

“Nobody important?” The Doctor scoffed. “Blimey, that's amazing. Do you know, in nine hundred years of time and space, I've never met anyone who wasn't important before,” he hummed and Ariel beamed at him as he headed back to the cinema organ. 

“Now, this console is the key to saving that ship, or I'll eat my hat,” the Doctor said. “If I had a hat,” he pouted. “You gave away my last hat,” he reminded Ariel and she sighed.

“Oh, you look better without it,” Ariel insisted. “You can find another hat,” she assured him with a nod.

“Right, I'll eat someone's hat,” the Doctor nodded. “Not someone who's using their hat,” he winced. “I don't want to shock a nun, or something.”

“Doctor,” Ariel interjected softly, wondering why he had not reprogrammed the controls yet. He was usually fairly quick with these things.

“Sorry, rambling, because, because this isn't working!” He snapped, slamming his hands down on the console furiously.

“The controls are isomorphic,” the old man growled at the couple. “One to one. They only respond to me.”

“Oh, you fibber,” the Doctor scoffed. “Isomorphic,” he mumbled as he turned back to the controls and attempted to fiddle with them. “There’s no such thing,” he shook his head. 

The old man reached over and switched the controls off then on again. The Doctor tried to do the same, but all he got were annoyed beeps. He pulled out his sonic and tried to change the controls with it, but it didn’t work, so he moved the sonic to scan the old man and narrowed his eyes at the results.

“Well?” Ariel prompted, raising an eyebrow at the Doctor.

“These controls are isomorphic,” the Doctor mumbled.

Ariel snorted and turned to the old man with a small frown. “How come you’re the one that gets to control those clouds?” She wondered. “What makes you so special?”

“The skies of this entire world are mine,” the old man replied. “My family tamed them, and now I own them.”

“Tamed the sky?” The Doctor frowned. “What does that mean?”

“It means I'm Kazran Sardick,” the old man snapped. “How can you  _ possibly  _ not know who I am?”

“Well, just easily bored I suppose,” Ariel shrugged.

The Doctor snorted and smiled softly at her before directing his attention back to Kazran. “So, we need your help then,” the Doctor proclaimed.

“Make an appointment,” Kazran snapped.

“We don’t have the time for an appointment,” Ariel moaned.

“There are four thousand and three people in a spaceship trapped in your cloud belt,” the Doctor reminded him. “Without your help, they're going to die.”

“Yes,” Kazran nodded simply, uncaring of the lives lost.

“You’ve got to be joking,” Ariel scoffed, in sheer disbelief that the man would simply allow four thousand people to die.

“You don’t have to let that happen,” the Doctor insisted.

“I know, but I'm going to,” Kazran nodded. “Bye, bye,” he waved. “Bored now. Chuck!” He called and his servants escorted the family out while two grabbed Ariel and the Doctor and guided them towards the door.

The couple immediately pulled away from the servants and marched back up to Kazran. 

“Ooo, look at you, looking all tough now,” Kazran chuckled as he plopped down into his large armchair beside the fireplace.

“There are four thousand and three people I won't allow to die tonight. Do you know where that puts you?” The Doctor asked, raising an eyebrow at the man.

“Where?”

“Four thousand and four,” the Doctor hummed and Ariel gazed at him with large eyes.

“Was that a sort of threat-y thing?” Kazran scoffed, not at all intimidated.

“Whatever happens tonight, remember you brought it on yourself,” the Doctor warned.

“Yeah, yeah, right,” Kazran sighed, waving his hand to dismiss the couple. “Get them out of here,” he ordered his servants. “And next time, try and find me some funny poor people,” he snapped.

The servant grabbed the Doctor but after a stern glare, did not put his hands on Ariel. They were ushered out, but the little boy broke from his family and grabbed a piece of coal that had slid across the floor from the fireplace. 

Ariel’s eyes widened as the boy flung the piece of coal at Kazran and hit him hard on the back of the head.

“Oh, God,” Ariel breathed.

Kazran spun around with venom dripping from his eyes and the by looked as though he may wet himself at the very glare. Kazran rushed over to the boy and lifted his hand to hit him.

“No!” Ariel screamed.

“No, stop, don't!” The Doctor cried.

“Don’t you dare!” The boy’s father bellowed. “You leave him!”

Ariel winced, expecting a blow that never came. Kazran instead stood over the boy, his hand shaking before his face fell. He dropped his hand and took a shaky breath.

“Get them out of here!” Kazran snapped at his servants. “Get that foul-smelling family out of here. Out!” He roared.

The Doctor and Ariel shared a look and simultaneously pulled away from the servants while the family was hustled out.

“What?” Kazran snapped, barely glanced at the couple as he sat back in his chair but knowing they were still there. “What do you two want?”

“A simply life,” the Doctor sighed as he wrapped his arm around Ariel’s shoulders and glanced down at her sadly. “But you didn’t hit the boy,” he said, glancing over at Kazran and narrowing his eyes.

“Well, I will next time,” Kazran mumbled bitterly.

“You see, you won't,” the Doctor hummed. “Now why? What am I missing?” He frowned.

“Get out!” Kazran snapped. “Get out of this house!”

Ariel’s eyes widened as she spotted the one thing they had been missing the entire time. Every chair in the room was angled away from a single portrait.

“The chairs,” Ariel murmured.

The Doctor frowned for a single moment before his eyes widened as he caught onto Ariel’s line of thinking. “The chairs!” The Doctor exclaimed. “Of course, the chairs,” he sighed. “Stupid me, the chairs,” he said, smacking his hand on his forehead.

“The chairs?” Kazran prompted, begrudgingly finding himself interested in what the Doctor and Ariel were saying. 

“There's a portrait on the wall behind us. Looks like you, but it's too old, so it's your father. All the chairs are angled away from it,” the Doctor said and Kazran visibly flinched. “Daddy's been dead for twenty years, but you still can't get comfortable where he can see you. There's a Christmas tree in the painting, but none in this house, on Christmas Eve. You're scared of him, and you're scared of being like him, and good for you, you're not like him, not really. Do you know why?” He prompted, raising a brow at Kazran.

“Why?” Kazran breathed, genuinely curious.

“Because you didn't hit the boy,” the Doctor smiled. “Merry Christmas, Mister Sardick,” he hummed.

“I despise Christmas,” Kazran spat.

“You shouldn’t,” the Doctor hummed as he draped his arm over Ariel’s shoulders. “It’s very you.”

“It’s what?” Kazran frowned as he couple turned and began walking out of the room. “What do you mean?” Kazran called, practically demanding an answer out of them before they left. 

The Doctor sighed softly and spun around with Ariel, a small grin gracing his lips as he did so. “Halfway out of the dark,” he hummed.

They headed out of the house and Ariel beamed around at the snowy street. “Ah, I love winter,” she sighed. 

The Doctor watched her with a small smile. He could not wait to be married to the girl before him. He wanted to be able to stand before her and all their friends and proclaim just how much he loved her. He wanted to call her his wife. 

“What would you say to a winter wedding?” He prompted.

Ariel turned to him with a large grin and he could have sworn the planet stopped and stared just to relish in her beauty. “That’d be brilliant,” she beamed. 

She giggled softly and jumped happily in the snow. The Doctor leant down and kissed her sweetly, but before he had a chance to deepen it, Ariel’s phone rang out.

The Doctor sighed softly in frustration as Ariel laughed and pulled her mobile out of her coat pocket. “It’s Amy,” she said, holding up the phone for him to see.

“Tell her we’re busy,” the Doctor moaned.

Ariel chuckled and rolled her eyes, knowing full well she wasn’t going to do that. 

She answered the phone and placed Amy on speaker. “Hi, Amy,” she hummed and the Doctor just groaned. 

“Have either of you got a plan yet?” Amy asked.

“Yes, I do,” the Doctor nodded.

“Ariel, is he lying?” Amy deadpanned, knowing his overly confident tone.

“Yes, he is,” Ariel chuckled. The Doctor’s eyes widened as he glanced at the brunette.

“Oi!” He exclaimed. “You’re my fiancée. You’re supposed to backup my lies to the companions!”

“Amy is my best friend, Doctor,” Ariel giggled. “I’m not going to do that even when we’re married.”

“Yeah,” Amy nodded in agreement. “Don’t treat me like an idiot.”

“Okay,” the Doctor sighed and shook his head. “The good news,” he said.

“Be forewarned there’s good news  _ and  _ bad news here,” Ariel mumbled.

“Oh, joy,” Amy moaned sarcastically.

The Doctor nodded. “We've tracked the machine that unlocks the cloud belt,” he said. “I could use it to clear you a flight corridor and you could land easily.”

“Oh, hey. Hey, that's great news!” Amy exclaimed, grinning at her phone.

“And here comes the bad news,” Ariel sighed.

“We can’t control the machine,” the Doctor nodded.

“You’re right,” Amy muttered. “Less great.”

“But we’ve met the man who can,” the Doctor assured her.

“Ah, well, there you go,” Amy hummed.

“And he hates me,” the Doctor mumbled.

“Were you being extra charming and clever?” Amy asked. “And Ariel did you stop him, or did you join in again?”

“A bit of both,” Ariel shrugged and she could hear Amy groaning from the starship.

“Sir?” The father from earlier prompted. “Ma’am?”

“Hang on,” the Doctor said.

Ariel covered the receiver and they walked across the street to greet the man.

“I've never seen anybody stand up to Mister Sardick like that,” the man beamed, shaking each of their hands in turn. “Bless you both, and merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas,” the Doctor smiled and nodded. “Lovely.”

“Merry Christmas,” Ariel grinned.

“Sorry, bit busy,” the Doctor apologized.

“You'd better get inside,” the father advised. “The fog's thick tonight, and there's a fish warning.”

“Alright, yeah,” the Doctor nodded, turning back to head down the street while Ariel froze and stared at the man.

“Did you say fish?” Ariel frowned.

The Doctor did a double take as Ariel speaking had caused the father’s words to sink in. “Sorry, fish?” He prompted with a shake of his head.

“Yeah,” the father nodded. “You know what they're like when they get a bit hungry,” he chuckled.

“ _ Fish _ ?!” Ariel exclaimed.

“Yeah, fish, I know fish,” the Doctor nodded. He frowned and shook his head furiously, still not understanding. “ _ Fish _ ?” He muttered.

“It's all Mister Sardick's fault, I reckon,” the father shrugged. “He always lets a few fish through the cloud layer when he's in a bad mood,” he sighed. “Thank you. Bless you once again,” he smiled to the couple before turning and walking away with his family.

The Doctor and Ariel shared identical frowns as the family walked away. “Fish?!” They exclaimed in unison.

“Doctor, Ariel, the Captain says we've got less than an hour,” Amy said. “What should be doing?”

Neither of them listened, far too distracted by the presence of actual fish. 

“Doctor,” Ariel gasped. She tugged on his coat sleeve and gestured up to a lamp post where a small shoal of fish were swimming around the light as though they were underwater. 

“Fish,” the Doctor breathed, grinning up at the fish.

Ariel beamed up at the fish, unable to wipe the smile from her lips. That was why she loved continuing to travel with the Doctor. She loved him more than words could express, but she also adored the new planets and places they got to see. They never failed to fill her with wonder no matter how long she traveled.

“Sorry, what?” Amy prompted but neither of them answered.

Rather, they walked up to lamp post and Ariel giggled as the fish began to swim around her. 

“Oh, you are just adorable,” Ariel hummed.

“Fish that can swim in fog,” the Doctor sighed. “I love new planets.”

“Me too,” Ariel giggled as the fish softly nibbled at her arm. Their small nibbles felt like soft tickles.

The Doctor held out his hand to the other small fishes and they nibbled on his fingertips making him grin. “Now, why would people be frightened of you tiny little fellows? Look at you, sweet little fishy-wishies,” the Doctor cooed.

All of a sudden, the fishes swam away from the pair rapidly and Ariel frowned. 

“Why would-?” She mumbled and her eyes grew wide. “Doctor, if there are small fish here does that mean all types of fish could be swimming around?”

The Doctor’s eyes inflated as he realized what she meant. “Fish in the cloud cover,” he muttered and glanced up at the sky. “Ooo. Careful up there,” he advised Amy.

Ariel winced. “Maybe, not the best way to put that.”

The redhead seemed to agree because her next words sounded  _ extremely  _ agitated. 

“Oh great, thanks, Doctor, because there was a real danger we were all going to nod off,” Amy snapped. “We've got less than an hour!” She yelled out the reminder to the couple.

“I know,” the Doctor sighed, spinning around to the large town clock as it struck 11 o’clock. 

Over the speakers, a Christmas carol began blasting and the Doctor grinned.

“Wha-?” Ariel began and her eyes widened as she turned and spotted the clock. “Ah, you are brilliant,” she hummed. “Midnight?” She prompted and the Doctor nodded with a large smile.

“Doctor? Ariel? How are you two getting us off here?” Amy implored.

“Oh, just give me a minute,” the Doctor moaned. “Can't use the Tardis, because it can't lock on. So, that ship needs to land. But it can't land unless a very bad man suddenly decides to turn nice just in time for Christmas Day.”

“So, the question is, how do we turn Scrooge into Father Christmas?” Ariel sighed.

“I can’t hear either of you!” Amy cried into the phone. “What is that? Is that singing?”

“Yep,” Ariel nodded.

“A Christmas carol,” the Doctor responded.

“A what?!” Amy exclaimed.

“A Christmas carol!” The Doctor and Ariel snapped in unison.

The Doctor’s face fell as he realized. “That’s it,” he mumbled as he spun around to face Kazran’s mansion. 

“Doctor?” Amy prompted.

“Kazran Sardick,” the Doctor breathed, beaming up at the mansion.

“Ariel, what’s he doing?” Amy asked. 

“Hell, if I know,” Ariel shrugged. “But I think he might have just worked out a plan,” she grinned.

“Merry Christmas, Kazran Sardick,” the Doctor hummed, smiling softly.

~~~

In the main room of Kazran’s mansion, Kazran Sardick sat in his chair fast asleep as he dreamed of when he was just twelve years old back when he yearned to see the fish for himself. 

“Hello, my name is Kazran Sardick. I'm twelve and a half, and this is my bedroom,” the younger Kazran grinned into his computer screen. “This is my top secret special project. For my eyes only. Merry Christmas,” he smiled.

Little did older Kazran know, the recording he made so long ago was actually being projected onto the far wall in his main room thanks to a little searching from Ariel Parsons. 

She managed to hook up the projection for the Doctor in little to no time, though she was extremely disgruntled at having to do it while the old man slept.

It left her wary and anxious of every snore he let out in the possibility that he may wake up.

While she had hooked up the projector, the Doctor went and helped each of Kazran’s servants win the lottery which had been a very difficult task when they discovered there was no lottery on the planet.

“Kazran!” Kazran’s father Elliot barked from within the recording. In the main room, at the sound of his father’s voice, Kazran jumped up and watched the recording with terror gripping him. “Kazran, what are you doing? What are you doing? I've warned you before about this, you stupid, ignorant, ridiculous child,” he snapped.

“I was just going to make a film of the fish,” Kazran insisted.

“The fish are dangerous!” Elliot yelled.

“I just want to see them,” Kazran moaned.

“Don't be stupid,” Elliot scoffed. “You're far too young.”

“Everyone at school's seen the fish,” Kazran shrugged. 

“That's enough,” Elliot snapped. “You'll be singing to them next, like gypsies,” he said with a roll of his eyes.

“The singing works,” Kazran nodded. “I've seen it. The fish like the singing,” he smiled.

“What does it matter what the fish like?” Elliot groaned.

“People say we don't have to be afraid of the fish,” Kazran mumbled. “They're not really interested in us,” he shrugged.

“You don’t listen to people!” Elliot snapped, wagging his finger at his son. “You listen to me!” He barked.

Elliot smacked Kazran hard across the cheek and in the main room of his mansion the older Kazran flinched as though he too had been hit.

“Ow!” The young Kazran cried. “I’m sorry, Father,” he sobbed, bowing his head and though he suppressed his tears, his body still shook in fear.

“This is my house. While you're under my roof, you'll obey my instructions,” Elliot ordered.

The older Kazran watched the recording in horror while just behind him, the Doctor walked up and gently touched the man’s shoulder.

Despite the movement being kind and filled with good intentions, Kazran still seemed to jump a mile from his shoes in either shock or fear.

“It’s okay,” the Doctor assured the man with a nod.

“What have you done?” Kazran snarled at the man. “What is this?”

“Ariel found it on an old drive,” the Doctor nodded, glancing up to watch the recording for himself. “Sorry about the picture quality,” he winced. “She said she made do with what she had which wasn’t easy considering all the damage it had been through,” he hummed. 

The Doctor turned and spotted Kazran about to ring the bell for his servants and he just chuckled and plopped down into Kazran’s seat. “Oh, I wouldn't bother calling your servants. They quit. Apparently they won the lottery at exactly the same time, which is a bit lucky when you think about it,” he smiled.

“There isn’t a lottery,” Kazran spat.

“Yeah, as I say, lucky,” the Doctor hummed.

“Who are you?” Kazran breathed, shaking his head aimlessly. “And where’s that other one? That girl?”

“My fiancée,” the Doctor nodded. “Y’know it’s funny. Here I was thinking I had to resign to being an old man all on his own. No hope. No future. And yet she came by and changed all of that,” he smiled. “If she can change that for me, I’ll be willing to bet there’s hope for you too.”

“But who the hell are you?!” Kazran barked.

“Mrs Mantovani will be looking after you tonight. You stay here till she comes. Do you understand? Do you understand?” Elliot snapped at his son on the screen.

“Tonight, I’m the Ghost of Christmas Past,” the Doctor smiled. He glanced up at the screen and narrowed his eyes at the sobbing Kazran. “Did you ever get to see a fish, back then, when you were a kid?” He wondered, raising an eyebrow at the older Kazran.

“What does that matter to you?” Kazran scoffed.

“Look how it mattered to you,” the Doctor said, nodding to the crying child in the recording.

“I cried all night, and I learned life's most invaluable lesson,” Kazran sighed.

“Ah,” the Doctor hummed. “Which is?” He prompted, raising an eyebrow at the old man.

“Nobody comes,” Kazran snapped, sneering at the Doctor. “Get out! Get out of my house!” He yelled.

“Okay,” the Doctor nodded, raising his hands in surrender and heading back to the small broom closet where he had parked the Tardis. “Okay, but I'll be back. Way back. Way, way back,” he promised with a knowing smirk.

He closed the door behind him and headed into the Tardis. Inside the console room, Ariel placed her book by her side and raised an eyebrow at the Doctor.

“Well?” Ariel prompted.

“Just as you said,” the Doctor nodded. “We have to go back to that Christmas Eve,” he said.

“Good thing we took the precaution of winning the lottery for Mrs Mantovani,” Ariel chuckled. “Amy said she’s more than happy to be the Ghost of Christmas Present, by the way. Though she did ask if that was the one that looked like Santa Claus in the movie,” she muttered as the Doctor set the time rotors in motion.

“Oh, no,” the Doctor shook his head. “He was ginger, Santa is a blonde,” he hummed.

“Great, so now she’ll think we’re asking her to do this ‘cos she’s a redhead,” Ariel laughed as they landed.

The Doctor headed to the door before turning and glancing over his shoulder with a small frown.

“Are you coming?” The Doctor asked, raising a brow at the brunette.

“What?” Ariel frowned. “I thought you were doing the whole Ghost of Christmas Past thing.”

“Well, I am,” the Doctor nodded. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t be there,” he shrugged. “It’d be rubbish if I went it alone.”

Ariel smiled and placed a bookmark in her book. “Alright, then, I’ll come,” she grinned.

The Doctor beamed at her. “Brilliant.”

She headed down the steps to the console room and the Doctor took her hand as they headed out. 

Ariel immediately groaned when she saw they were on a roof once again. “What is it with you and roofs today?” She wondered.

“It’s Christmas, can you really blame me?” The Doctor prompted with a small smirk.

“Fair point,” Ariel shrugged. 

The Doctor kicked the window and peered through with a large grin. “See? Back,” he told the future Kazran while the present child stared up at him with large eyes.

“Who are you?” Kazran frowned as the Doctor climbed through the window and Ariel quickly followed.

“Hi. I'm the Doctor and this is Ariel,” the Doctor introduced, gesturing to the brunette with a small smile. “I'm  _ your  _ new babysitter, and she’s  _ my  _ babysitter,” he said.

Ariel snorted. He wasn’t exactly wrong there.

“So here we are!” The Doctor exclaimed, jumping up onto the bed with a childlike grin. “Sorted!” 

“Where's Mrs Mantovani?” Kazran asked, still frowning at the couple.

“Oh, you’ll never guess,” the Doctor grinned. “Clever old Mrs Manters, she only went and won the lottery,” he said as though the fact were the most unexpected thing in the world.

“There isn’t any lottery,” Kazran protested with a small frown.

“I know!” The Doctor exclaimed with a laugh. “What a woman,” he sighed as he jumped off the bed.

“If you're my babysitter, why are you climbing in the window?” Kazran wondered.

“Because if I was climbing out of the window, I'd be going in the wrong direction,” the Doctor chortled. “Pay attention,” he instructed.

“Besides, what’d you expect us to walk in through the front door?” Ariel frowned. “That’s boring.”

“But Mrs Mantovani's always my babysitter,” Kazran reasoned with a frown as he eyed the strange couple. 

“Times change,” the Doctor shrugged. He turned to Kazran’s computer with a small smile and peered into it, speaking to the older Kazran watching the recording from the future. “Wouldn't you say? You see? Christmas Past,” he hummed.

“Who are you talking to?” Kazran asked.

“You,” the Doctor responded which only resulted in Kazran’s frown deepening.

“What does that mean?” Kazran asked, glancing up at Ariel.

“Just leave it,” Ariel instructed with a shrug. 

“I thought you were supposed to be his babysitter?” Kazran prompted.

“I am,” Ariel chuckled. “Most of the time anyway,” she mumbled, frowning as she realized that all too often she was just as reckless as he was. “But never mind that,” she shook her head. “You’ll understand in a while.”

“Now, your past is going to change,” the Doctor told the Kazran of the future. “That means your memories will too. Bit scary, but you'll get the hang of it,” he shrugged.

“I don’t understand,” young Kazran muttered.

“I'll bet you don't,” the Doctor chuckled. “I wish I could see your face,” he said to the camera.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kazran asked Ariel with a frown. 

“Don’t you worry,” Ariel shook her head. “This’ll all make sense, one day,” she assured the boy. “But until then,” she said and cleared her throat to the Doctor. “Doctor?” She prompted. 

The Doctor spun around and Ariel nodded pointedly to the child by her side. 

“Ah!” The Doctor exclaimed. “Right then, your bedroom!” He smiled. “Great. Let's see. You're twelve years old, so we'll stay away from under the bed,” he muttered and his eyes brightened as he caught sight of a cupboard in the room. 

“Cupboard! Big cupboard,” he hummed. “I love a cupboard. Do you know, there's a thing called a face spider. It's just like a tiny baby's head with spider legs, and it's specifically evolved to scuttle up the backs of bedroom cupboards,” he said.

“Doctor!” Ariel exclaimed, glancing down at Kazran with large eyes.

The Doctor winced as he glanced back and noticed Kazran’s face flooded with terror. “Yeah, I probably shouldn't have mentioned,” he mumbled and shook his head. “Right. So. What are we going to do? Eat crisps and talk about girls? I've never actually done that, but I bet it's easy,” he shrugged, grinning at Ariel. “Girls? Yeah?” He prompted with a raised brow.

“Are you  _ really  _ babysitters?” Kazran frowned.

“I think you'll find I'm universally recognised as a mature and responsible adult,” the Doctor said and Ariel snorted as he pulled out his psychic paper as if to prove it to Kazran.

“It’s just a lot of wavy lines,” Kazran mumbled, frowning at the paper.

“Yeah, it's shorted out,” the Doctor murmured, glancing back at his psychic paper. “Finally, a lie too big,” he sighed and Ariel poorly concealed her laughter. “Okay, no, not really a babysitter, but it's Christmas Eve. You don't want a real one. You want me,” he smiled.

“Why?” Kazran asked. “What’s so special about you?”

“Have you ever seen Mary Poppins?” The Doctor asked.

“No.”

“Good. Because that comparison would've been rubbish,” the Doctor sighed.

“Oh, but I used to love Mary Poppins when I was little,” Ariel hummed. “It wouldn’t be too far off,” she shrugged.

“Still hardly similar,” the Doctor chuckled as he walked up to the window and peered out with a small smile. 

“You’re not wrong,” Ariel nodded.

The Doctor sighed softly as he saw a small shoal of fish pass by. “Fish in the fog. Fish in the clouds,” he hummed. “How do people ever get bored? How did boredom even get invented?”

“My dad's invented a machine to control the cloud belt. Tame the sky, he says. The fish'll be able to come down, but only when we let them. We can charge whatever we like,” Kazran nodded.

“So, his Dad invented boredom,” Ariel said and the Doctor laughed and nodded. 

“Yeah, we’ve seen your Dad’s machine,” the Doctor sighed.

“What?” Kazran frowned. “You can't have.”

Ariel beamed out at the fog where the fish happily swam. “Why would you want to tame the sky when you have something this brilliant on your planet?” She wondered.

“Tame the sky,” the Doctor scoffed. “Human beings. You always manage to find the boring alternative, don't you?”

“I’m offended,” Ariel commented lightly and the Doctor chuckled as he wrapped his arm around her waist and shook his head. 

“Not you,” the Doctor promised. “You’re the exact opposite of boring,” he said and Ariel grinned. He watched her for a moment, beaming at the woman who just seemed so utterly perfect in every sense of the word before turning back to Kazran. “You want to see one?” The Doctor prompted. “A fish,” he clarified with a nod. “We can do that. We can see a fish.”

“Aren't you going to tell me it's dangerous?” Kazran frowned.

“Oh, what’s wrong with dangerous?” Ariel grinned.

“Dangerous?” The Doctor scoffed. “Come on,” he sighed. “Ariel’s a brave woman; and you and I, we're boys. And you know what boys say in the face of danger,” he hummed.

“What?” Kazran asked, raising his brows at the Doctor.

“Mummy,” the Doctor replied without missing a beat and Ariel just laughed.

~~~

After Ariel and the Doctor had hooked up a rig so the sonic screwdriver could dangle in the middle of Kazran’s bedroom for a fish to find, they all sat crammed inside Kazran’s cupboard waiting. 

Ariel wound up having to practically sit upon the Doctor’s lap while he held her loosely around the waist so Kazran could have room to sit on the left side of the Doctor.

On the Doctor’s finger, he had tied a piece of string that kept the screwdriver dangling in Kazran’s bedroom on the other end. 

“Are there any face spiders in here?” Kazran whispered. 

“Oh, I knew that would scare you,” Ariel winced. “Don’t worry about them, yeah? They’re not going to hurt you,” she assured the child.

“Besides at this time of night. They'll all be sleeping in your mattress,” the Doctor sighed and Ariel snickered. So much for calming the fears of the boy. “So, why are you so interested in fish?” The Doctor wondered.

“Because they're scary,” Kazran shrugged.

“Fair enough,” Ariel nodded.

“Good answer,” the Doctor agreed.

Kazran narrowed his eyes at the Doctor’s bow tie and frowned. “What kind of tie is that?” He asked.

“Oh, here we go,” Ariel moaned.

“A cool one,” the Doctor responded easily.

“Why is it cool?” Kazran wondered.

“Why are you  _ really  _ interested in fish?” The Doctor countered.

Kazran paused at that and glanced down into his lap. “My school,” he admitted. 

“What did they teach about the fish or something to get you interested?” Ariel guessed with a small frown.

“No,” Kazran shook his head. “During the last fog belt, the nets broke and there was an attack. Loads of them. A whole shoal. No one was hurt, but it was the most fish ever seen below the mountains,” he sighed.

“Were you scared?” The Doctor asked. 

“I wasn't there,” Kazran shrugged. “I was off sick,” he mumbled.

“Ah,” Ariel nodded, understanding why he was now so fascinated with the fish. 

“Ooh, lucky you,” the Doctor hummed.

“No,” Ariel shook her head. “Not lucky, was it?” She prompted.

The Doctor turned to Kazran with a small but curious frown as the boy shook his head. 

“It's all anyone ever talks about now,” Kazran muttered. “‘The day the fish came’. Everyone's got a story,” he sighed.

“But you don’t,” the Doctor nodded, beginning to understand as well. He glanced at the camera and sighed in understanding. “I see,” he mumbled.

“Why are you recording this?” Kazran asked, frowning at the Doctor.

Meanwhile, Ariel sucked in a sharp breath as the rope around the Doctor’s finger began getting pulled back, signalling that there was a fish out by the sonic.

The Doctor noticed at well and smiled softly as he glanced back at Kazran. “Do you pay attention at school, Kazran?” He asked.

“Sorry, what?” Kazran prompted, not understanding why the Doctor had suddenly brought up his education.

“Do you pay attention?” Ariel repeated with a nod.

“Because you're not paying attention now,” the Doctor hummed, nodding to his moving finger.

Kazran’s eyes widened as the Doctor slowly stood up, shifting Ariel around his arm. 

“Shush,” the Doctor murmured as he leant carefully against the door before reaching for the doorknob. 

“Doctor, are you sure?” Kazran prompted, a tone of concern clear in his voice when he spoke. 

“Trust me,” the Doctor smiled.

“Okay,” Kazran mumbled hesitantly, not seeming to trust the Doctor in the slightest.

“Oi. Eyes on the tie,” the Doctor instructed Kazran with a smirk. “Look at me. I wear it and I don't care. Trust me,” he implored.

“Yes,” Kazran smiled, speaking the word much more firmly than before which the Doctor noticed with a grin.

“That’s why it’s cool,” the Doctor nodded, informing both young and old Kazran as he glanced back into the recording.

The Doctor and Ariel stepped out slowly and Ariel grinned when she spotted a small fish investigating the flashing screwdriver.

“Aw,” Ariel mumbled. “How could these fish ever be dangerous?” She wondered. “They’re adorable.”

The Doctor smiled and nodded as he tiptoed around to the screwdriver so he wouldn’t scare the fish away.

“Hello, fishy,” the Doctor greeted. “Let's see. Interesting. Crystalline fog, eh? Maybe carrying a tiny electrical charge. Is that how you fly, little fishy?” He asked, raising a curious brow at the fish.

“What is it?” Kazran asked from within the cupboard. “What kind? Can I see?”

“Not quite yet,” Ariel replied.

“Just stay there a moment,” the Doctor instructed with a nod.

“Is it big?” Kazran asked.

“Nah, just a little one,” the Doctor sighed, smiling softly at the fish.

“How do the fish stay alive?” Ariel wondered. “I mean they sort of live up in the sky so what do they eat?”

“That’s a good question,” the Doctor remarked. “So, how ‘bout it little fellow? What do you eat?”

Their answer came sooner then they would have liked when a large shark swooped into the room from seemingly nowhere and devoured both the fish and the screwdriver in one toothy bite.

Ariel yelped and jumped back while the Doctor stared at the shark frozen in fear.

“How little is it?” Kazran asked from within the cupboard and Ariel let out a nervous giggle as the Doctor winced.

“Er,” the Doctor mumbled.

“Can I come out?” Kazran implored.

“No!” Ariel cried, backing away from the shark slowly as it chewed on the fish.

“No, no,” the Doctor muttered, shaking his head furiously at the closed cupboard.  “Maybe just wait there for a moment,” he suggested.

“What colour is it?” Kazran asked.

“Big, big colour,” the Doctor breathed.

As the shark started to focus in on the Doctor and Ariel’s presences in the room, the Doctor grabbed Ariel’s hand and darted inside the cupboard with Kazran.

They both placed their bodies against the door, leaning on it with all their weight so the shark could not bust in.

“What’s happening?” Kazran asked with a small frown, unsure of why the couple looked so afraid.

“Well, concentrating on the plusses, you've definitely got a story of your own now. Also, I got a good look at the fish, and I think I understand how the fog works, which is going to help me land a spaceship in the future and save a lot of lives. And I bet I get some very interesting readings off my sonic screwdriver when I get it back from the shark in your bedroom,” the Doctor rambled, hoping his other words would drown out the mention of the imminent threat they were facing.

“There’s a shark in my bedroom?!” Kazran exclaimed.

“Oh fine, focus on that part,” the Doctor moaned.

“In his defence that is the more pressing matter at the moment,” Ariel murmured and the Doctor simply shrugged. 

There was a loud bang against the door then complete silence. Ariel’s face fell as she glanced at the Doctor, knowing full well that it wouldn’t just give up but unsure of what it might be doing

“Has it gone?” Kazran breathed. “What’s it doing?” He asked, voicing Ariel’s exact thoughts.

“What do you call it if you don't have any feet, and you're taking a run-up?” The Doctor murmured and Ariel’s eyes inflated.

“Oh, God,” Ariel gasped. 

She and the Doctor shared a quick look before running past the camera to the other end of the cupboard just as the shark broke through the door, his mouth wide with the sonic screwdriver still glowing green at the very back of his throat.

Ariel grabbed Kazran as the child fell backwards onto her, staring at the shark with large eyes while the Doctor shielded both of them with his arm.

Trapped inside the door, the shark squirmed around wildly, snarling at them with its jaws wide. 

“It's going to eat us!” Kazran cried. “It's going to eat us. It's going to eat us,” he gasped. “Is it going to eat us?” He asked, glancing between the Doctor and Ariel.

“Well, maybe we're going to eat it, but I don't like the odds,” the Doctor proposed with a small frown. “It's stuck, though. Let's see. Tiny shark brain. If I had my screwdriver, I could probably send a pulse and stun it.”

“Well, we don’t have your screwdriver, do we?!” Ariel exclaimed, pulling Kazran backwards as the shark began to bow its head towards Kazran’s scrambling legs.

“Where’s your screwdriver?!” Kazran yelled and Ariel winced as she watched the sharks mouth continue to glow.

“Well, concentrating on the plusses, within reach,” the Doctor sighed. He glanced at Ariel and raised a brow. “You know, there's a real chance the way it's wedged in the doorway is keeping its mouth open,” he proposed and Ariel paled.

“There is?” Kazran prompted.

“Oh, no,” Ariel breathed. “Doctor, please don’t tell me you’re thinking what I’m thinking.”

“Just agree with me, because I've only got two goes, and then it's his turn,” the Doctor said patting Kazran kindly on the head.

“Doctor, no!” Ariel shrieked as he rolled up his sleeves.

“Two goes?” Kazran frowned.

“Two arms!” The Doctor exclaimed, holding up his arms to emphasize his words. “Right, then. Okay. Geronimo. Open wide!” He yelled.

The Doctor dove forward and Ariel winced as he thrust his arms straight into the mouth of the shark.

~~~

Ariel brought out a blanket from Kazran’s room to wrap around the shark as the Doctor continued to fuss over the state of his sonic screwdriver.

After they had stunned the shark, it took all of their combined efforts to carry it out of his room and out onto the balcony, though it had been even more difficult to pry the shark from the door.

“I couldn’t find a larger blanket,” Ariel sighed as she wrapped the one she had gotten from Kazran’s room. “Sorry,” she mumbled, kneeling down beside Kazran and the shark and pulling the small boy into a hug as he grew teary eyed over the state of the shark.

“What's the big fishy done to you?” The Doctor murmured to his screwdriver, frowning over the small half he had managed to save while the other half still remained in the belly of the shark. “Swallowed half of you, that's what. Half a screwdriver, what use is that? Bad, big fishy,” he hummed.

Ariel chuckled and shook her head as she glanced back down at Kazran and the shark. Kazran had started to cry over the shark.

“Doctor?” Ariel called. 

The Doctor spun around and raised a brow at her and Kazran.

“I think she’s dying,” Kazran mumbled, tears streaming down his face.

The Doctor knelt down beside Ariel and peered down at the shark with a soft sigh. “Half my screwdriver's still inside, but yeah, I think so,” he shrugged. “I doubt they can survive long outside the cloud belt. Just quick raiding trips on a foggy night,” he mumbled.

“Can't we get it back up there?” Kazran practically pleaded. “We were just going to stun it. I didn't want to kill it.”

“She was trying to eat you,” the Doctor reminded Kazran with a small frown.

“She was hungry,” Kazran sniffled and Ariel and the Doctor glanced at each other with large eyes. This Kazran was a startling difference from the one they met in the future, barely blinking an eye at the idea of four thousand people being killed.

“I'm sorry, Kazran,” the Doctor sighed. “I can't save her. I could take her back up there, but she'd never survive the trip. We need a fully functioning life-support,” he shrugged.

“You mean like an icebox?” Kazran prompted.

The Doctor and Ariel shared a look, flooded with surprise yet interest all in one. 

“Yeah, basically,” Ariel nodded.

“Okay,” Kazran said and the Doctor and Ariel’s eyes both inflated.

“You have an icebox big enough to hold a shark?” Ariel prompted.

“Yeah,” Kazran nodded. “Follow me,” he said. He jumped up and climbed back through the window into his room. 

The Doctor and Ariel shared a look of pure surprise, but both simultaneously nodded and shrugged before following Kazran back into the mansion.

They headed out of his room and into the corridor where they reached a long staircase. They ran down into the main room where the Doctor grinned at the sight of a large Christmas tree.

“Ooh, a tree!” The Doctor exclaimed.

Ariel giggled and ran over with him as he happily cupped one of the baubles on the tree.

“I love Christmas trees,” Ariel hummed. “Actually, I love decorating them,” she sighed. “Mum never really did like celebrating Christmas or decorating the house after Dad died,” she shrugged. 

“It’s a shame,” the Doctor muttered. “I love Christmas.”

“Me too,” Ariel beamed.

“Doctor, Ariel?” Kazran prompted with a small frown. 

“Right, yes, of course,” the Doctor nodded and Ariel giggled as he grabbed her hand and they darted down the corridor following Kazran until they reached the basement.

Ariel pulled her coat tighter around her body as they arrived in the basement and marched down to a large vault-like door.

“Ooh,” Ariel hummed and she and the Doctor gazed through the small window on the door to find dozens of cryo chambers and a seemingly frozen room within.

“What is this?” The Doctor asked Kazran with a small frown.

“The surplus population,” Kazran sighed. “That's what my Dad calls it.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet he does,” Ariel mumbled, deciding she didn’t like Kazran’s father in the slightest.

She and the Doctor tried to turn the wheel on the door, but it didn’t budge.

Ariel frowned at the door while the Doctor spotted a keypad beside the door and raced over to it.

“Of course it doesn’t turn,” Ariel sighed. “Of course, it can’t be that easy.”

“Oh, it's not turning,” Kazran moaned. “Oh, why won't it turn?”

The Doctor frowned at the keypad and glanced down at Kazran. Knowing what they did about his father there was undoubtedly an alarm on the system if he got the number wrong.

“Ah, what's the number?” The Doctor prompted, raising a brow at Kazran.

“I don’t know,” Kazran shrugged.

“Is there a chance we can get the door open without it?” Ariel hoped, but the Doctor shook his head.

“This place is full of alarms. It's not just the door. I need the number,” the Doctor sighed.

“I’m not allowed to know until I’m older,” Kazran moaned, worried that they may not be able to save the shark because he didn’t know.”

The Doctor and Ariel shared a wide eyed look, both knowing what they had to do. 

“I can go,” Ariel nodded. “I know how to plug in the last destination. It won’t take me long.”

“Alright,” the Doctor smiled. He gave her a quick kiss and she waved goodbye to Kazran before running back to Kazran’s room and climbing out the window to the Tardis.

“Hello, old girl,” Ariel sighed as she walked inside. She took off her coat and tossed it onto the jumpseat before plugging her in for the last destination the Tardis had been. 

She flicked on the stabilizers and landed with a loud wheezing. Ariel ran out just in time to hear the older Kazran cry out, “seven two five eight!” 

“Just what I was after,” Ariel smiled. “Thank you!” She exclaimed.

Ariel bolted back inside the Tardis and shifted the coordinates just enough so that she may land within the building rather than on the roof again. Luckily, where she fell short in knowledge the Tardis seemed to guide her and simplify the directions.

Ariel beamed up at the Tardis, knowing the machine was trying to make things easier. “Thanks, love,” she hummed. 

The Tardis landed and Ariel snatched her coat off the jumpseat before racing out, happy to find she had landed just above the staircase leading down to the basement.

“Seven two five eight!” Ariel called as she ran down the steps.

“Seven two five eight,” the Doctor repeated, mumbling as he pressed the numbers into the keypad. 

Once the Doctor had plugged in the number, Kazran began turning the wheel to the cryovault and Ariel quickly helped him.

They shoved the door opened and Ariel’s eyes widened as she saw fishes swimming across the frozen cryovault.

“Ah, there's fish down here, too,” the Doctor hummed. 

“Hello, lovelies,” Ariel giggled, holding out her hand for the fish to swim around.

“Yeah, but only tiny ones,” Kazran sighed as they continued to walk through the cryovault. “The house is built on a fog lake, that's how Dad freezes the people. They're all full, but we could borrow one,” he said and paused in front of one of the chambers. He stood on his toes and peered inside the chamber before smiling and nodding. “Yeah, this one,” he said, gesturing to the chamber.

Ariel and the Doctor peered inside and exchanged a wide eyed gaze at the sight of the familiar blonde woman which they had seen back with future Kazran. The same woman Kazran had dismissed as nobody important.

“Hello again,” the Doctor hummed.

“You know her?” Kazran asked with a small frown.

“Never mind that,” Ariel shook her head.

“Why her?” The Doctor wondered. “Important, is she?” He implored.

“Yeah, would she mind?” Ariel asked.

“No,” Kazran assured them with a shake of his head and a smile. “She loves the fish.”

Kazran pressed some buttons on the keypad of the chamber and a hologram type recording appeared in the glass of the chamber. It was a recording of the same woman frozen inside the chamber.

“My name is Abigail Pettigrew, and I'm very grateful for Mister Sardick's kindness. My father…”

“She starts to talk about the fish in a minute,” Kazran explained in a whisper.

The Doctor took the lamp Kazran was holding and tapped Ariel’s wrist. She glanced up at him with a raised brow and he nodded to the dozens of people along the cryovault. 

She cast one quick look back down at Kazran before nodding and joining the Doctor as he walked along the rows of people frozen in chambers.

“But I would not allow it,” Abigail said from the recording. “I could not have chosen this path were it not for the compassion and generosity of the great philanthropist and patron of the poor, Mister Elliot Sardick. But I'm also surrounded by the fish, the beautiful, iridescent, magical fish.”

“Why are these people here?” The Doctor mumbled as he shined the lamp on one of the many chambers. “What's all this for?”

“My dad lends money,” Kazran responded. “He always takes a family member as, he calls it security.”

“Bloody hell,” Ariel breathed, frowning at the hundreds of chambers in the cryovault.

“Hard man to love, your dad,” the Doctor mumbled, nodding in silent agreement with Ariel’s astonishment. “But I suppose you know that.”

All of a sudden, there was an out of place whirring from the Doctor’s pocket. 

Ariel frowned as the Doctor pulled his sonic out of his pocket and found it active despite him not even touching it.  Ariel and the Doctor shared a frown as they glanced between each other and the screwdriver.

“What’s wrong?” Kazran asked, walking over to the couple from Abigail’s chamber.

“Just my half a screwdriver trying to repair itself,” the Doctor mumbled. “It's signalling the other half.”

They all froze as they heard the sound of two consecutive whirs both similar in origin with the second sound closing in on the first. 

“The other half’s inside the shark,” Kazran mumbled, his tone breathy and concerned as they glanced toward the entrance of the cryovault where the sound seemed to be coming from.

“Yeah, sounds like she's woken up,” the Doctor hummed. 

“And it’s getting closer,” Ariel nodded, taking the lamp from the Doctor and backing away from the entrance to the vault slowly, keeping her eyes on the vault door as the two men on either side of her did the same.

“Okay, so it's homing on the screwdriver,” the Doctor muttered.

Within a moment, the shark appeared around the corner and flew down towards the rapidly, its jaws open seeming more than ready to take a bite.

Ariel shrieked and the Doctor grabbed her hand, the pair of them running through the aisle of cryo chambers before skidding to the left while Kazran raced to the right.

She and the Doctor hid behind one of the cryo chambers and Ariel peered around to see if she could spot the shark.

While she didn’t catch sight of the fish, she did catch sight of the cryo chamber containing Abigail. She thought back on the words of the blonde in her recording.

_ “I enjoy singing to the fish as they swim through the skies. During winter, when the night is at its coldest, it seems to calm them. To even put them at ease.” _

Ariel’s eyes widened. “Doctor,” she mumbled. “Keep an eye out for the shark,” she whispered.

“What?” The Doctor blanched as she bolted out from their hiding spot to Abigail’s chamber. “Ariel!” He hissed, leaning out with large eyes. “Ariel, don’t!”

“I’ve got a plan,” she assured the Doctor with a nod.

Ariel fiddled with the keypad for a few moments, trying both the numbers Kazran had punched in for the recording and the numbers older Kazran had granted her to open the vault before finally finding one that opened the chamber. 

She grinned as the chamber warmed her just enough to be mobile and she heaved open the door.

“Hello?” Abigail frowned at her. “Who are you?”

“I’m Ariel,” Ariel smiled. “Just a friend who needs your help.”

“What with?” Abigail implored. 

“It’s sort of a long story, but a shark got in here,” Ariel said.

“A shark?” Abigail echoed with wide eyes.

“Yeah, and you said singing to the fish calms them right?” Ariel prompted, hoping she had not misheard the blonde.

“Yes, well, occasionally, but-,” Abigail stammered, but Ariel didn’t have time to mind the specifics.

“Good,” Ariel nodded, and helped the blonde step out of the chamber. “Because we really need you to start singing right about now,” she said, spinning Abigail in the direction of the shark as it rounded the corner and started flying right towards them.

Abigail looked entirely overwhelmed, but she took a deep breath and called to mind the first song she could think of which just so happened to be the poem  _ In the Bleak Midwinter  _ by Christina Rossetti.

“In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,” Abigail began singing much like an opera singer. She stepped towards the shark slowly and the shark stopped swimming, confused momentarily by the song. Ariel grinned at the sight of her idea panning out. “Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone. Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow. In the bleak midwinter long ago,” she sang, kneeling down beside the shark as it rested on the ground.

Abigail rested her hand on the shark softly as she continued to sing and Kazran and the Doctor both stumbled out to see Abigail sing.

“How did you think of that?” The Doctor mumbled.

“Just lucky,” Ariel shrugged. “I remembered something she said in the recording and thought it might work.”

“Well, you’re brilliant, you are,” the Doctor grinned. He wrapped his arms around her from behind her back and placed a kiss on the top of her head. “Though it’s not really the singing calming the shark.”

“Yes, it is,” Kazran nodded.

“Nah,” the Doctor sighed softly, shaking his head.

“The fish love the singing,” Kazran informed him but when the Doctor shook his head once again Kazran rolled his eyes. “It's true,” he insisted.

“Nah. The notes resonate in the ice crystals, causing a delta wave pattern in the fog,” the Doctor explained. “Ow!” He cried and smacked his neck suddenly. “A fish bit me,” he mumbled.

Ariel just giggled and shook her head as the Doctor rested his chin on the top of her head. Apparently the fish didn’t enjoy his little rambles as much as she did.

“Shut up, then,” Kazran snapped, put out that the Doctor was interrupting the beautiful singing as well.

“Heaven and earth shall flee away,” Abigail sang.

“Of course,” the Doctor breathed and Ariel glanced up at him with a raised brow. “That's how the machine controls the cloud belt. The clouds are ice crystals,” he explained. “If you vibrate the crystals at exactly the right frequency, you could align them into ow!” He cried out, smacking his neck once again. “Why do they keep biting me?” He moaned.

“You’re interrupting their song,” Ariel chortled, glancing back at Abigail with a soft smile.

“Look, the fish like the singing, okay?” Kazran sighed. “Now shut up.”

“Okay,” the Doctor mumbled, seeming upset that he didn’t get to ramble on an explanation.

Ariel grinned and leant up to kiss his cheek. “If it makes you feel better, you and I can phone Amy after this and you can explain it to the pair of us,” she promised and the Doctor seemed to brighten at the idea, much more pleased as he watched Abigail sing.

“In the bleak midwinter, falling down before, the ox and ass and camel which adore,” Abigail sang, grinning at the trio behind her.

When she finished her song, the Doctor glanced around at the three of them and sighed softly. “Abigail, you won’t mind us putting the shark in your cryochamber would you? Until we can get it up to the skies, of course.”

“Not at all, Mister?” Abigail prompted, raising a brow at the man.

“The Doctor,” the Doctor nodded. “Just the Doctor,” he smiled. “Right then, you three can put the shark inside so she can heal while I get our transport. We’re going to bring this old girl home,” he grinned.

Ariel giggled at his clear excitement as he ran out of the vault to get the Tardis while she turned to Abigail and Kazran.

“Right then Kazran, do you mind pushing Abigail’s chamber so it’s laying on the ground?” Ariel asked. “Then her and I can place the shark inside.”

“Okay,” Kazran nodded and went to do just that. 

Ariel turned to Abigail with a small smile. “Thank you by the way for helping us out with the shark. I know I sort of startled you with how sudden it all was.”

“Oh, it’s no problem,” Abigail assured her with a wave of her hand. “I’m more than happy to help such beautiful creatures,” she sighed. 

“Y’know I think I like you, Abigail Pettigrew,” Ariel remarked. 

“Thanks,” Abigail grinned. “I like you too,” she nodded.

There was the sound of a loud crash and Ariel snorted as she watched Kazran slid into view, moving the cryochamber along the slippery ice so that they could access it.

Abigail giggled softly at the sight and Kazran gave them a big thumbs up. “Is this okay?” Kazran asked.

“That’s perfect, Kazran,” Ariel chuckled. “Thanks,” she said.

Kazran gave them a bright nod and Ariel turned to Abigail with a soft sigh.

“Right, then, are you ready?” Ariel prompted.

Abigail smiled and nodded and together the two women lifted the shark and carried it all the way back to the cryochamber before dropping it inside. Kazran closed the cryochamber, sealing the chamber with the shark inside.

Ariel heaved a deep sigh and waved a few bits of ice off her hands as the Tardis wheezed into existence at the very end of the corridor.

“What’s that?” Kazran frowned at the sound. 

“Our transport,” Ariel smiled when the Tardis appeared.

The door creaked open and the Doctor popped his head out, looking like a small but curious child as he gazed at the three of them. 

“Are we ready?’ The Doctor prompted, raising a brow at the trio.

“How are we going to bring the shark back to the skies in a police box?” Kazran wondered.

“Oh, it is much more than a police box, Kazran,” the Doctor hummed as he stepped outside. He walked straight into Ariel’s arms and kissed her forehead before smiling softly at the child. “Go, have a look inside,” he shrugged.

Kazran and Abigail shared a fascinated but excited grin and the pair walked up to the Tardis only to have Ariel and the Doctor listen in amusement as they gasped simultaneously.

“It’s bigger on the inside,” Kazran breathed. 

“Yeah, it's the colour,” the Doctor said as Ariel snicked. “Really knocks the walls back.”

The Doctor pulled out of Ariel’s arms for a moment to kneel down beside the cryochamber with the shark placed inside. “Shark in a box, to go,” the Doctor announced, knocking on the box with a smile.  “Okay then,” he sighed as he stood up and glanced at Ariel. “Ready to help me carry this?” He prompted.

“Do I have a choice?” Ariel giggled. “I’ll grab the bottom, you grab the top,” she instructed as she walked over to her side of the box. 

The Doctor smiled as he watched her walk over and start to pick up the box.

Ariel frowned as she watched him not move to his end of the box. “I’m not gonna carry this thing along, you know,” she chuckled. “I may be able to handle some wight but that is just too much and I can’t guarantee the cryochamber remaining in one piece if I do this alone.”

The Doctor laughed and shook his head. He walked over and kissed Ariel softly but sweetly. He pulled away and cupped her cheek delicately, brushing his thumb across her cheekbone as he smiled.

“Okay,” Ariel grinned. “What was that for?”

“Thank you for traveling with me,” the Doctor mumbled. 

“You’re welcome,” Ariel nodded. She took her hands off the cryochamber and draped her arms over his shoulders, brushing her fingers through the hair at the very nape of his neck. “But you don’t have to kiss me for that,” she giggled. 

“I just don’t think I tell you enough how lucky I am to have you,” the Doctor said and Ariel beamed at him.

“Oh, Doctor,” Ariel sighed. “Flattery will get you everywhere,” she promised as she pulled him in for another kiss.

When the pair pulled apart, they shared a grin before returning to the task at hand. They each took a single end of the cryochamber and walked it into the Tardis.

They placed the shark just outside the console room and not too far from the door so when they opened it the shark could easily swim out.

Ariel turned to see Kazran and Abigail standing beside the door and chuckled. “Well, come on then,” she prompted, waving the pair inside. “I’m sure you both wanna see the shark going home.”

The pair both shared a look before nodding and running inside. Ariel closed the door behind them as they stared up and marveled at the large interior of the Tardis.

“This is amazing,” Abigail gasped as the Doctor started up the Tardis so they could fly up into the skies. 

“Nah, this is transport,” the Doctor shrugged. He landed the Tardis in midair and ran out to Ariel’s side. “We keep amazing out here,” he muttered and together the pair flung the doors open to reveal their changed location.

They had landed amidst the clouds where hundreds of fish flew happily and Ariel beamed up at the very sight while Kazran and Abigail ran to the doors beside her. 

“Come on, then,” the Doctor said, nodding back to the cryochamber. “Let’s get this shark out.”

Ariel smiled and walked back up to him to help him reopen the chamber while Kazran fished a camera out of his robe and took a picture of Abigail.

“Watch out!” Ariel called as the shark swam out quickly. Abigail and Kazran both moved so the shark could have a quick escape and Kazran grinned as he watched her rejoin the other fish.

“Hey, look at her go,” Kazran sighed. 

The Doctor closed Abigail’s cryochamber back up and frowned at a set of dials on the front with the numbers: 000 008.

He tapped Ariel’s shoulder and gestured to them and Ariel raised a brow. She simply shrugged when she looked up and met the Doctor’s gaze. “I have no idea what they could mean,” she mumbled. 

“Abigail, this number,” the Doctor called to the blonde. “What does it mean?”

“It pertains to me, sir,” Abigail said as she walked back over to the couple. “Not the fish,” she assured him.

“Yeah, but how?” The Doctor wondered. 

“You are a doctor, you say?” Abigail prompted and the Doctor nodded. “Are you one of mine?” She asked and the Doctor and Ariel both frowned.

“Do you need a doctor?” The Doctor asked gently.

However, before she could respond, the microwave timer on the console beeped loudly.

“Oh, that went by fast,” Ariel remarked.

“Well, you know what they say about time,” the Doctor grinned as he skipped up the steps to the console. “Time’s up kids!” He proclaimed. 

“Why?” Kazran moaned.

“It’s nearly Christmas Day,” the Doctor smiled, and with that, they headed back to the cryovault. 

The Doctor and Ariel carried Abigail’s cryochamber out of the Tardis and put it back to its upright position. 

Abigail beamed at the couple as she stepped back inside her chamber. “If you should ever wish to visit again,” she sighed.

“They come every Christmas Eve,” Kazran piped up and Ariel and the Doctor turned to him with large eyes.

“What?” Ariel and the Doctor gasped simultaneously.

“Yeah, they do,” Kazran insisted with a nod. “Every time. They promise.”

“No, we don’t!” The Doctor exclaimed, but it was too late. Kazran closed the cryochamber and the promise was made.

Ariel took a deep breath and glanced at the Doctor with a small grin. “So, I guess we’re coming every Christmas Eve,” she shrugged. 

“And just when I thought this would be a quick trip,” the Doctor hummed and Ariel giggled as she looped her arm through his.

“It’s not so bad. It’ll probably be about seven or eight hours of us visiting Christmases before Kazran becomes an adult and then he may not want us there  _ every  _ Christmas.”

“I suppose,” the Doctor mumbled. 

“Come on, it’ll be fun!” Ariel exclaimed. “Oh, and we can get Santa hats for the next Christmas!”

“Oh, I love Santa hats,” the Doctor grinned. “Y’know I’m actually the one who suggested red and white for Santa’s suit? He thought red and green would be better but I said, no, I said Santa that’s just plain overkill if you shoot for too much red and green. You need to have something different, you need to have red and white.”

“See? This may not be so bad after all,” Ariel smiled.

“Oh, and I think I just got a good idea of what we could do for next Christmas,” the Doctor said with large eyes.

Ariel chuckled and shook her head. “This is going to be a brilliant couple of hours,” she said.

And it was. They reappeared at the very next Christmas with Santa hats and the Doctor explained his plan to Kazran and Ariel. It was mad, but it was definitely going to be fun if they could pull it off.

Together, the three of them opened Abigail’s cryochamber and cried, “Merry Christmas!”

“Doctor! Ariel!” Abigail exclaimed with a large grin. “What are we going to do?” She asked.

“The Doctor's got a great plan. Wait till you hear,” Kazran smiled.

As they ran out of the cryochamber, Ariel passed a cloak to Abigail. “Here,” she said to the blonde. “I figured you might like to warm up a bit while we’re out there.”

“Thank you,” Abigail grinned, nodding to the young woman as she put the cloak on.

On their way outside, Ariel explained the Doctor’s plan to Abigail while he got them a carriage.

When the Doctor returned to put the restraints on the carriage, Abigail marched up to him with large eyes.

“You are out of your mind,” she gasped. 

“Oh, don't think shark,” the Doctor smiled as he finished placing what they would need on the carriage. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and pointed it to the sky. “Think dolphin,” he instructed as though that would somehow tone down the threat they faced when doing this.

“A shark isn’t a dolphin,” Abigail shook her head.

“It’s nearly a dolphin,” the Doctor shrugged.

“No it isn’t,” Abigail insisted.

“That’s where you’re wrong,” the Doctor muttered. “Because…,” he trailed off, unable to come up with a reason.

“A shark sort of looks like a dolphin except meaner?” Ariel provided with a shrug.

“There, that’s the one!” The Doctor exclaimed with a smile and snap of his hands. Trust Ariel to be the one to always fill in his thoughts where he drew a blank.

“It could be anywhere,” Kazran frowned as he stared up at the sky. “Will it really come?”

“No chance. Completely impossible,” the Doctor sighed, but smiled when the shark soared across the sky just over them. “Except at Christmas,” he hummed.

And so, after getting the shark in the reigns of the carriage with surprisingly minimal difficulty, the Doctor and Ariel sat side by side and Kazran and Abigail sat in the back as they soared across the sky being flown through the air by a shark.

They laughed and Ariel beamed as she watched them fly above the planet below. 

It was moments like these when she thought back to the day where she insisted she got with the Doctor when he faced danger. At the time, she thought she could just go on an adventure like one of the characters in her books. Little did she know traveling with the Doctor would become her life and consequently one of the greatest decisions she had ever made. 

If she had never flown away with him, had never taken a chance on the mad man in a box, she knew she would either be stuck in some dead end job feeling like less than nothing as she worked to support her mother’s partying habits or may even wind up dead herself. 

If she had continued down the path she was walking with no friends and guilt from her past weighing heavy on her shoulders it wasn’t a far stretch to say she may have been taking a path to suicide. It was a hard thought to bear, but if her life had wound up becoming any semblance of the Leadworth dream she’d had back when the Dream Lord had taken over their minds she knew the thought would be ever present in her mind. 

Running away with the Doctor had saved her life and she hoped that in some sense she had been able to save him just the same. 

She knew how depressed and alone he was when she first began traveling with him. She knew the guilt and burden that weighed heavy on his shoulders and she hoped that even if she had been unable to wipe it all away, her presence could be at least a small reason for the much happier demeanor of this Doctor. 

She hoped that his childlike, bright persona was at least in part thanks to her being there when nobody else had been. 

“How are we going to get back?” Kazran wondered as the Doctor flew them through the sky, holding the reigns of the shark tight in his hands.

“I don’t know,” the Doctor admitted with a shrug. 

“Do either of you have a plan?” Abigail asked.

The Doctor shared a look and shrugged. “We don’t know,” they called in unison to the pair. 

They continued soaring through the sky without a care in the world and Ariel smiled as she spotted a few children staring up at the shark in awe.

“Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,” Ariel sang. “ Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-shark open sleigh. Jingle Bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way! Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-shark open sleigh. Dashing through the sky in a one-shark open sleigh,   
over the fields we go, laughing all the way, bells on bob-tail ring, making spirits bright.   
What fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight!” She exclaimed and the trio around her laughed as they soared across the sky.

Later that evening, the Doctor worked out how to get them off the carriage and released the shark once they were all out.

They headed back inside the mansion to bring back Abigail to her cryochamber after another Christmas Eve.

“Best Christmas Eve ever!” Abigail exclaimed. 

“Till the next one,” Kazran smiled. He closed the door and said goodbye to Ariel and the Doctor until the next year. 

And so, it continued for the next four years or next four hours as far as Ariel and the Doctor were concerned. 

On the sixth Christmas Eve, Abigail startled them all by taking notice of just how much Kazran had grown and making the poor boy blush with his adorable yet obvious crush on her.

“You’ve grown,” Abigail remarked as they headed inside the Tardis and the Doctor and Ariel shared a knowing smile.

“Yes,” Kazran nodded.

For a couple that had been together as long as they had, they often took pleasure in watching as other pairs realized their feelings for each other. They had watched Craig and Sophie realize they loved each other, they watched Amy rediscover her love for Rory, and now they had watched as Kazran dealt with his crush on Abigail and the blonde was just now beginning to realize she reciprocated.

It was often entertaining to compare others falling in love with each other to their own experiences. When she and the Doctor were coming to terms with their feelings for each other, both knew they liked the other but both were so wary of how the other may feel about a potential relationship that neither had made the first move until Ariel thought he was going to die. 

Thinking of where she was now with the Doctor it seemed almost funny to think of how terrified she had been back then of her crush.

“And now you’re blushing,” Abigail remarked with a small smile and Ariel giggled. 

“I’m sorry,” Kazran mumbled, bowing his head as though to hide his pink cheeks.

“That’s okay,” Abigail assured him with a firm nod.

Ariel had also been the first to notice when Kazran began dressing like the Doctor. 

At first it had started with the bow tie, and the Doctor and Ariel had been certain he just wore it because he believed it made him as confident as the Doctor, but then the young boy grew into wearing suits just like him.

Then there had been the year of the fezzes which Ariel sincerely tried to opt out of after the Doctor swore he would get the young boy into wearing fezzes as well if they were going to dress alike. 

Luckily, the fez phasze only lasted a year and Kazran claimed he wasn’t big on hats to Ariel’s joy and the Doctor’s befuddlement.

It seemed she always had to remind him that Time Lords did not have the best fashion sense in the universe. 

“So, Doctor, where this time?” Kazran wondered, walking over to look at the scanner. 

“Pick a Christmas Eve,” the Doctor shrugged. “I've got them all right here,” he said, gesturing to the list on the scanner.

“Oh let’s not do Christmas Eve on a boat again,” Ariel winced. “I hate throwing up on Christmas Eve,” she mumbled and Kazran chuckled and nodded.

“Might I make a request?” Abigail prompted.

“Of course,” the Doctor shrugged. 

“This one,” Abigail said and they each beamed at her. 

Abigail directed the Doctor to the home address of her sister and they landed on the street corner where Abigail could walk to the outside window and watch as her family cooked Christmas dinner.

She had never told them this was her family, of course, though the Doctor and Ariel already knew from their experiences with her in the future.

“Who are they?” Kazran asked, watching Abigail with a small frown.

“Her family,” the Doctor sighed. “The lady's her sister. We met her once, when she was older,” he said, gesturing between himself and Ariel.

Kazran nodded in understanding and Ariel walked over to the blonde. Abigail seemed distraught watching the family she was unable to be with on Christmas Eve.

Ariel wrapped Abigail in a partial hug as she watched the family as well and Abigail smiled sadly at her, silent tears beginning to stream down her cheeks. 

“Abigail’s crying,” Kazran breathed as he watched Ariel pull her into a tight hug. 

“Yes,” the Doctor nodded, smiling as Ariel whispered words of comfort in Abigail’s ear. 

“When girls are crying, are you supposed to talk to them?” Kazran asked, turning to the Doctor with a frown.

The Doctor blanched. “I have absolutely no idea,” he admitted.

“What do you do when Ariel cries?” Kazran wondered.

“Well, I just, I sit with her,” the Doctor shrugged. “And I hold her. And I let her talk to me if she wants to. Sometimes you never really need to say anything you just need to be there,” the Doctor said. 

Kazran took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay,” he mumbled. He wanted to help Abigail. He wanted to be there for her like the Doctor was there for Ariel.

Kazran walked over and Ariel smiled when she spotted him. She nodded her goodbye to Abigail and headed back over to the Doctor.

“Did you give him advice?” Ariel wondered as the Doctor wrapped his arm around her. She watched as Abigail began talking to Kazran and smiled softly. 

“Sort of,” the Doctor mumbled. “I know I’m bad at the advice thing so I just told him what I do when you’re upset.”

Ariel frowned as she thought for a moment. “Alright,” she nodded. “That sounds good, but we really should do something for her,” she mumbled. “She misses her sister a lot.”

“Well, why don’t we give her just that?” He prompted raising a brow at Ariel.

“No,” Ariel gasped, her eyes wide and filled with wonder as she gazed at the Doctor. “Can we do that?”

The Doctor simply smiled and took her hand, heading to the front door of the house. He knocked and a younger version of the mother they had seen back when they first met Kazran stepped outside.

“Merry Christmas,” the Doctor grinned. “I’m the Doctor and this is Ariel and we’ve brought your sister here for Christmas Eve,” he said and the woman’s eyes inflated. “May we come inside?”

“Yes, yes, of course,” the woman gasped. “I’m, I’m Isabella, and that’s my husband Eric,” she said, gesturing to the man they had also met in the future. 

“Hello,” the man smiled, waving to the couple as he placed stockings across the fireplace. 

“Have you really brought my sister back for Christmas?” Isabella asked.

Ariel simply grinned at her and glanced over to the window Abigail had been looking inside. It was currently covered by a curtain, so she walked over to amend that. 

“Why don’t you see for yourself?” Ariel hummed. She pulled back the curtain and waved wildly to Abigail and Kazran.

“Come in,” the Doctor nodded to the pair and Abigail seemed to be crying tears of joy as she watched her sister react to the very sight of her. 

“Oh, my God, Abigail!” She exclaimed. 

The pair rushed inside and were met with overwhelmingly happy hugs from Abigail’s family.

~~~

A little while later, Ariel and the Doctor sat at the end of the table playing card games with a small boy that grew into the child that had thrown the piece of coal at Kazran’s head in the future. 

Ariel wasn’t exactly playing, rather watching as she had proclaimed the moment the young boy, who they figured out was named Benjamin, pulled out a deck of cards that she was rubbish at card games.

The Doctor, however, loved them to no end and insisted on being a tutor for Ariel as to how it was done.

“Pick a card. Any card at all,” the Doctor instructed, holding out the cards to Benjamin. 

Benjamin did just that and picked a single card from the deck.

“Okay, now, you memorise the card, you put it back in the deck. Don't let me see it,” the Doctor said, holding out the deck once more for Kazran.

“See I can do this part,” Ariel nodded. “It’s just knowing what card it was that I’m rubbish at,” she shrugged. “I always wind up guessing.”

“Ah, see?” The Doctor smiled. “The trick is in remembering where the card was placed in the deck,” the Doctor said as he began to shuffle the deck.

Beside the fireplace, Eric frowned at the stockings he was placing. “Is this what it looked like last year?” He asked his wife.

“It doesn’t have to be exactly the same,” Isabella scoffed, unsure of why her husband was shooting for identical decorations annually.

Eric frowned at the stockings and with a shake of his head, decided they did not look good enough. “I'm starting again,” he proclaimed. “Come on, Kazran, we're starting again,” he said and Kazran feigned joy at the very idea though his obvious exhaustion peeked through.

As Abigail went to talk to her sister and Ariel and the Doctor went to play with the young boy, Kazran had noticed Eric fiddling with the decorations and decided to help. 

Little did he know he would spend twenty minutes decorating the same fireplace over and over.

Meanwhile, at the end of the table, the Doctor pulled out what he thought to be Benjamin’s card and smile. “The three of clubs!” He exclaimed. 

“No,” Benjamin frowned, shaking his head at the Doctor.

Ariel snorted and tried to hide her amusement for the Doctor’s sake.

“You sure?” The Doctor prompted. “Because I'm very good at card tricks,” he informed the young boy.

“It wasn’t the three of clubs,” Benjamin insisted.

“Well, of course it wasn't, because it was the seven of diamonds,” the Doctor announced, pulling out a brand new card. 

“No,” Benjamin sighed and Ariel couldn’t help the laughter that burst out when he said that.

“Oi, stop it, you're doing it wrong,” the Doctor muttered, glancing back at Ariel with a small frown as though Benjamin was the one to blame for him looking bad in front of his fiancée.

“You’re sure you’re not doing it wrong, Doctor?” Ariel prompted with a bemused grin.

“No,” the Doctor hummed. “I played this game with Napoleon and never got it wrong, he’s the one messing it up,” he insisted, pointing an accusatory finger at the child who didn’t look a day over seven years old.

Ariel just laughed and shook her head at the Doctor while at the front of the table Isabella stood up as though to make an announcement.

“Tomorrow's Christmas dinner is cancelled, as my sister refuses to attend,” Isabella proclaimed.

“Isabella,” Abigail hissed, tugging on her sister’s sleeve and desperately trying to pull the woman back down to her seat. 

“Instead, we'll have it tonight,” Isabella smiled and they all laughed victoriously. 

“Oh, I love Christmas dinner,” Ariel grinned. “I can help make the turkey,” she offered.

“Thank you, dear,” Isabella smiled. “I’m gonna need all the help I can get.”

“I can help,” the Doctor nodded. “Four semesters learning cooking in Paris, I bet I can do a pretty good job,” he hummed.

And so they all cooked Christmas dinner together. Eric pulled out a case of Christmas crackers which they all pulled occasionally while dinner was being cooked, but were sure to leave some before the meal actually started.

Ariel and Abigail set the table for Isabella and once the cooking was finished they all took their places around the table and held a Christmas cracker with another by their side. 

“Three, two, one, pull!” The Doctor cried and they all pulled their Christmas crackers roughly before falling into fits of laughter across the table.

Benjamin stared with wide eyes as he found a folded card inside of his cracker. “How did you do that?” He gasped to the Doctor.

The Doctor just smiled and nodded him to the card. “Your card, I believe.”

Benjamin unfolded the card to reveal an eight of hearts. He just laughed. “No,” he said and the Doctor pouted. 

“Oh, shut up!” He exclaimed and the table laughed.

Ariel chuckled and placed her head on his shoulder as though to reassure him that she loved him in spite of his rubbish ability at card tricks. They could be rubbish at the games together.

Kazran held up his cup with a soft smile and glanced around the table at the family. “Er, Merry Christmas,” he said.

“Merry Christmas!” They all chorused, toasting the day before laughing and chatting merrily while they ate. 

~~~

That night, the Doctor, Ariel, and Kazran brought Abigail back to her cryochamber as they did every night on Christmas Eve.

“Best Christmas Eve ever!” Abigail exclaimed.

“Ah, till the next one,” the Doctor smiled as he hugged Abigail.

“I look forward to it,” Abigail nodded as she turned and hugged Ariel as well. 

When she pulled away, the blonde gazed at the couple and sighed softly. “Now I'd like to say good night to Kazran,” she told them.

“Of course, yes. Well, on you go,” the Doctor said, waving Abigail forward.

Ariel chuckled and shook her head. “Erm, Doctor?” She prompted, clearing her throat at her fiancé.

The Doctor glanced down and when he saw Ariel giving him that certain look that said he was missing something obvious. His eyes widened and he glanced back at the pair as he realized what it was. 

“ _ Oh _ ,” the Doctor breathed and Ariel giggled at his understanding. “Oh. Yes. Right. Sorry. I'll, er, I'll go, then. Good night,” he smiled at Abigail. “Good luck,” he said to Kazran. His eyes widened and he shook his head as though mentally correcting what he had said. “Night. Good night,” he amended.

Ariel laughed and guided him away from the pair only to watch as he backed into another cryochamber. “Sorry,” he apologized in a whisper, peering into the chamber and apologizing to the individual inside. 

Ariel giggled and guided him away, directing an apologetic wave to Kazran and Abigail.

“I’m gonna go set up next year’s Christmas,” Ariel murmured to the Doctor.

He nodded, but before he could go to join her inside the Tardis, Kazran ran up to the Doctor and stopped him in his tracks. 

“Doctor. I, er, I think she's going to kiss me,” Kazran mumbled, his eyes large as he glanced back at Abigail.

“Yeah, I think you're right,” the Doctor smiled.

“I've never kissed anyone before,” Kazran shook his head. “What do I do?” He asked.

“Well, try and be all nervous and rubbish and a bit shaky,” the Doctor suggested.

“Why?” Kazran wondered with a small frown, knowing that was not how he kissed Ariel.

“Because you're going to be like that anyway,” the Doctor shrugged. “Might as well make it part of the plan, then it'll feel on purpose,” he smiled and patted Kazran on the chest before spinning him back to Abigail. “Off you go, then.”

“What, now?” Kazran gasped. “I kiss her now?”

“Kazran, trust me,” the Doctor nodded. “It's this or go to your room and design a new kind of screwdriver,” he said, remembering what he had done the first night he nearly kissed Ariel but had allowed them to be interrupted by Donna. “Don't make my mistakes. Now, go,” he insisted, shoving Kazran towards Abigail.

The Doctor smiled as he watched Kazran stumble towards Abigail. The blonde pulled him to her and kissed him, making the Doctor grin.

The Doctor headed back inside the Tardis where Ariel was leaning against the console beaming at him.

“Did they kiss?” Ariel asked.

“He was nervous as ever,” the Doctor nodded and Ariel laughed. 

“I’ll bet,” Ariel hummed, nodding to the Doctor. She met the Doctor at the steps to the console room and wrapped him in a hug. “I got up Christmas in Hollywood 1952,” she said. “I figured we’d go visit Frank again,” she suggested with a shrug.

“Sounds brilliant,” the Doctor smiled.

“Though after this one I think I’m going to need a nap,” Ariel moaned as the Doctor walked up to the console to take them to the next Christmas. “Six Christmas Eves in a row is exhausting.”

“Yeah, maybe we can take a quick break,” the Doctor agreed. “I should call Amy with an update anyway,” he mumbled. 

“Alright,” Ariel grinned.

They landed at the next Christmas where Kazran was nineteen. They brought him and Abigail to Christmas in 1952 and joined in on Frank Sinatra’s party thrown with some of the biggest celebrities in America. 

“Ariel!” Frank Sinatra exclaimed at the sight of her. 

“Frank!” Ariel cried, running up to the man and hugging him tightly. “Oh, it’s been too long.”

“How long has it been for you?” Frank wondered with a small frown.

“Well, last time I saw you was at the hunting lodge, but we didn’t talk much then did we?” Ariel frowned. 

“You were far too busy getting to know Albert to spend time with me,” Frank chuckled. 

“Oh, but you certainly had a good time with your new piano,” Ariel smiled.

Frank chuckled and wrapped his arm around Ariel’s shoulders. “Ah, I have a lot of people to introduce you too,” he hummed. “You’re gonna love Marilyn,” he sighed.

“Oh, I’ve always wanted to meet Marilyn Monroe!” Ariel exclaimed happily.

“Er, Frank, is Elizabeth Taylor here?” The Doctor asked, running up to them and wincing at the idea.

“I believe she’s by the swimming pool with Richard, why?” Frank wondered. 

“1952,” the Doctor mumbled. “Yeah, I’d better steer clear of her,” he sighed.

Ariel laughed and wrapped her arm around his waist, leaning her head on his chest as Frank guided them inside the party.

Meanwhile, Kazran and Abigail went off on their own to tour the party and meet people by themselves.

Hours passed through the party and while Abigail seemed put out through the entire event, Kazran appeared delighted, running between Abigail and the Doctor and Ariel through the event.

The Doctor and Ariel had grown entirely comfortable in this company, speaking to everyone as though they had known the celebrities since childhood while Kazran was just overwhelmed with joy at the presence of them all.

Eventually, Kazran ran out to Abigail, a large smile slapped across his face while she stared sadly into the swimming pool. 

“Abigail, are you coming back? The Doctor is going to do a duet with Frank!” Kazran exclaimed delightedly, but his face fell when he saw the sadness the blonde wore. “Abigail? What's wrong?”

“I have something to tell you,” Abigail mumbled.

“A bad thing?” Kazran prompted with a small frown. 

“A very bad thing,” Abigail nodded.

“What is it?” Kazran wondered.

“The truth,” Abigail breathed. And so she told him and desperate to cling onto the love and happiness they had before Abigail had to be taken back to her cryochamber with one last day left.

As they kissed, the Doctor bolted out of the bushes with Ariel nowhere in sight. 

“Guys, we've really got to go quite quickly,” the Doctor gasped. “Ariel has gotten drunk and I think she’s snogging Marilyn Monroe,” he said with large eyes, peering around to the party to see if he could spot Ariel. 

He glanced back and frowned at Kazran and Abigail, barely coming up for air. 

“Oh, you two really need to breathe,” the Doctor moaned. “Come up for a moment,” he insisted. “Elizabeth Taylor has  _ found _ Ariel, if she ever leaves Marilyn this is going to be catastrophic!” He exclaimed. “Guys?!” He cried desperately but their lips barely left each other for a second. “Oh, fine,” he sighed. “I’ll figure it out myself,” he muttered. “Maybe Richard and Frank could help me figure this bloody mess out,” he said, throwing his hands up in the air desperately as he walked away, now in search of Richard Burton and Frank Sinatra.

~~~

Ariel laid on the jumpseat, resting off her hangover while the Doctor said goodbye to Kazran and Abigail after another Christmas.

“There we go,” the Doctor announced with a clap of his hands as Kazran closed the door to the cryochamber. “Another day, another Christmas Eve. I'll see you in a minute, eh? I mean, a year,” he corrected with a small frown.

“Doctor? Listen, why don't we leave it?” Kazran requested.

“Sorry, leave what?” The Doctor prompted with a small frown.

“Oh, you know, this,” Kazran sighed, gesturing between himself and the Doctor. “Every Christmas Eve. It's getting a bit old,” he shrugged.

“Old?” The Doctor implored.

“Well, Christmas is for kids, isn't it?” Kazran said “I've got some work with my dad now. I'm going to focus on that. Get that cloud belt under control,” he smiled sadly as he took off his bow tie.

“Sorry, I didn't realise I was boring you,” the Doctor mumbled, hanging his head.

“Not your fault,” Kazran shook his head. “Times change,” he said with a simple shrug. 

“Not as much as I'd hoped,” the Doctor sighed. “Kazran!” He called, and walked back up to the man, pulling his broken screwdriver out of his suit. “I'll be needing a new one, anyway. What the hell,” he smiled and handed the sonic to Kazran. “Merry Christmas. And if you ever need me, just activate it. I'll hear you.”

“I won’t need you,” Kazran assured him with a shake of his head.

“What's happened?” The Doctor wondered with a small frown. “What are you not telling me? What about Abigail?” He asked.

“I know where to find her,” Kazran shrugged.

“Yeah,” the Doctor sighed as Kazran marched out of the cryovault and didn’t look back.

The Doctor took a deep breath and headed into the console room where Ariel had her face in a bucket.

“What’s happened?” Ariel mumbled, narrowing her eyes at the Doctor as he entered the Tardis.

“It didn’t work,” the Doctor sighed. He walked back over to her and brushed some stray strands out of face, smiling gently and cupping her cheek. “He’s still going to work with his father.”

“That’s alright,” Ariel nodded. Her eyes widened as she felt another wave of vomit coming on. She bowed her head into the bucket and the Doctor held her hair back as she puked. 

When she was done, the Doctor got a towel for her and wiped her face before she spoke again.

“Thank you,” Ariel smiled softly. “But you don’t need to worry,” she sighed. “We’ve still got the other ghosts to come,” she reminded him.

“Yeah, I suppose,” the Doctor nodded as he sat down on the console floor beside Ariel. “I just wish we had seen a little more change after all we’ve done.”


	33. The Ghosts of Christmas Present and Future

After the older Kazran had shared a very angry phone call with the president of the planet, a hologram of Amy Pond appeared in his main room.

“Hello,” Amy greeted.

“Who are you?” Kazran snarled. “What are you doing here?”

“You didn't think this was over, did you?” Amy scoffed. “I'm the Ghost of Christmas Present,” she introduced, waving to herself.

“A ghost?” Kazran frowned as he looked down at the police outfit she had donned back when she had greeted Ariel and the Doctor after they had broken into her house.  “Dressed like that?”

Rory shoved Amy out of the beam and glared at the old man. “Eyes off the skirt,” he snapped.

Amy pushed him back out of the way so she could talk to Kazran whilst rolling her eyes at her husband. 

“You turned into a Roman,” Kazran remarked.

“Yeah. Yeah, I do that. I also do this,” Amy hummed and disappeared from the main room. 

“Do what? What are you talking about?!” Kazran called, unsure of what the redhead meant.

Just as he began to think she was gone, he heard the distant singing of strange voices within his mansion.

“Silent night, holy night,” the people sang.

Kazran followed the voices with a small frown all the way down to the cryovault. He opened the door and there in between the chambers were holograms of dozens of people all singing.

“All is calm, all is bright, round yon virgin mother and child, Holy infant so tender and mild. Christ the Saviour is born. Christ the Saviour is born,” the people sang.

Amy reappeared behind Kazran, watching him carefully as he eyed the holograms. 

“They're holograms. Projections, like me,” Amy explained.

“Who are they?” Kazran asked.

“The people on the ship up there,” Amy said. “The ones that you're going to let die tonight.”

“Why are they singing?” Kazran wondered, glancing between the singers and Amy.

“For their lives,” Amy breathed. Rather then go into an explanation, she glanced around the chambers with a curious frown. “Which one's Abigail?” She asked. When Kazran turned around with large eyes and obvious confusion, Amy simply shrugged.  “The Doctor and Ariel told me,” she said.

“Did they now?” Kazran hummed.

“Ah, they don’t hold back,” Amy smiled. “We all sort of tell each other everything. But you know them.”

“How do I?” Kazran wondered. “I never met them before tonight. Now I seem to have known them both all my life,” he sighed. “How? Why?”

“You're the only person who can let that ship land,” Amy shrugged. “They were trying to turn you into a nicer person. And they were trying to do it nicely,” she said.

“They’ve changed my past, my whole life,” Kazran muttered.

“Time can be rewritten,” Amy nodded.

“You tell the Doctor and Ariel. Tell them from me, people can’t!” Kazran spat. 

Kazran walked through the holograms which all vanished as he marched up to a very specific cryochamber.

Amy disappeared and reappeared right behind him, peering over his shoulder as he looked into Abigail’s chamber.  

“That’s Abigail?”  Amy guessed with a raised brow.

“I would never have known her if the Doctor and Ariel hadn't changed the course of my whole life to suit themselves,” Kazran sighed.

“Well, that’s good, isn’t it?” Amy prompted.

“No,” Kazran muttered as he glanced down at the counter that read: 000 001. 

“Why is she still in there?” Amy wondered. “You could let her out any time,” she shrugged.

“Oh, yes,” Kazran hummed, his gaze fixed on the counter. “Any time at all. Any time I choose.”

“Then why don’t you?” Amy asked.

“This is what the Doctor and Ariel did to me,” Kazran mumbled. “Abigail was ill when she went into the ice. On the point of death. I suppose the rest in the ice helped her. But she's used up her time. All those Christmas Eves with me. I could release her any time I want, and she would live a single day. So tell me, Ghost of Christmas Present, how do I choose which day?” He wondered, a hopeless sigh falling from his lips as he glanced back at Amy.

“I'm sorry,” Amy muttered. “I really am. I'm very, very sorry,” she assured him with a firm nod. “But you know what? She's got more time left than I have. More than anyone on this ship,” she reminded him. 

“Good,” Kazran spat.

Amy huffed out a sigh and turned to face her husband on the starliner. “Rory, widen the beam,” she instructed.

Her husband did just that and with a flash, Kazran became the hologram on the starliner rather than Amy in his mansion.

“How did I get here?” Kazran frowned, glancing down at himself and the crew scrambling across the room to try and save the ship.

“You didn't,” Amy shook your head. “It's your turn to be the hologram,” she informed him. “Since you're going to let a lot of people die, I thought you might like to see where it's all going to happen.”

In the distance, the soft singing echoed once more and the captain of the starliner displayed the people singing on their screen.

“The singing,” Kazran frowned as he heard it once more. “What is it? I don't understand.”

“It's Ariel's idea,” Rory sighed. “The harmonies resonate in the ice crystals, that's why the fish like it. She thought maybe it would stabilise the ship. But it isn't working. It's not powerful enough,” he muttered, glancing at the controls in frustration.

“Why are they still singing, then?” Kazran wondered.

“Because we haven't told them,” the captain said, spinning around to face Kazran with a soft sigh. “Sir, I understand you have a machine that controls this cloud layer. If you can release us from it, we still have time to make a landing. Nobody has to die,” she insisted.

“Everybody has to die,” Kazran shrugged, still uncaring of the circumstances.

“Not tonight,” Amy said, hope creeping into her voice as she held up the phone for Ariel to listen on the other end.

“Tonight's as good as any other,” Kazran said simply. “How do you choose?” He wondered, repeating the question to Amy once more.

Amy took a deep breath and held up the phone to her lips. “Ariel?” She prompted.

“Yeah?” The girl’s soft London accent came through clear on the mobile.

“Are you getting this?” Amy asked.

“Every word,” Ariel nodded.

“She’s here,” Kazran breathed with a small frown. “Where is she? Ariel? Ariel!” He called as Rory sent him back to his mansion.

There, right before him in the cryovault, Ariel stood with sadness in her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” Ariel mumbled. “We had no idea,” she shook her head.

“All my life, I've been called heartless,” Kazran sighed as he turned to Abigail’s chamber and peered inside. “My other life, my real life, the one you rewrote,” he spat. “Now look at me.”

“Better a broken heart than no heart at all,” Ariel said simply.

“Oh, try it. You try it,” Kazran snapped.

“I have,” Ariel nodded. “And I stand by my opinion. It’s better to have loved and lost then never to have loved at all.”

Kazran just shot her a dirty glare and shook his head. “Why are you here?” He wondered.

“Because we’re not finished with you yet,” Ariel said. “You've seen the past, the present, and now you need to see the future,” she hummed.

“Fine. Do it,” Kazran snapped. “Show me. I'll die cold, alone and afraid. Of course I will. We all do. What difference does showing me make?” He sighed, but Ariel just continued to watch him, her hands in her pockets and a blank stare as Kazran tried to convince her that he was still cold hearted. “Do you know why I'm going to let those people die? It's not a plan. I don't get anything from it. It's just that I don't care. I'm not like you. I don't even want to be like you. I don't and never, ever will care,” he insisted.

“And I don’t believe you,” Ariel shrugged. 

“Then show me the future,” Kazran challenged. “Prove me wrong.”

“I am showing it to you,” Ariel nodded. “I'm showing it to you right now,” she smiled. “So what do you think? Is this who you want to become, Kazran?” She called over the older Kazran’s shoulder to the young boy she and the Doctor had retrieved.

Older Kazran spun around with large eyes to see his younger self in a dressing gown starring up with terror gripping him.

“Dad?” Young Kazran frowned at the man.

Older Kazran rushed up to his younger self, not taking that remark very kindly as he dropped his walking cane and held up his hand to smack the younger boy.

Rather than try to stop him, Ariel watched with a stern gaze, knowing if he was allowed to do this and see the pure fear in the eyes of the younger Kazran, it might be able to finally change him.

And it did.

Older Kazran fell into a fit of tears, dropping to his knees and holding his younger self tightly as they both cried.

“I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. It's okay, don't be frightened. I'm, I'm so, so, so,” Kazran sobbed, holding the younger boy as he sobbed.

“Doctor?” Ariel prompted with a small smile as she looked up to the cracked open Tardis door at the very end of the corridor. “It worked,” she nodded.

The Doctor stepped out, grinning at both Kazran’s as they pulled out of their hug.

“Kazran,” the Doctor sighed. “We don't have much time,” he reminded the older man.

They all headed out to the main room and the Doctor sent a message to the starliner while Ariel explained the situation for the younger Kazran.

“Remember when that shark was attacking us and we said we many have just figured out to save a lot of lives?” Ariel prompted. 

“Yeah,” Kazran nodded.

“Well, that’s what’s happening right now,” Ariel said. “There is a starliner stuck in the clouds that we’re going to save,” she explained.

“We good to go, then?” The Doctor prompted, clapping his hands together as he marched over to older Kazran.

“The controls, they won't respond,” Kazran sighed and Ariel and the Doctor gazed at each other with large eyes.

“What?” Ariel gasped.

“Of course they will,” the Doctor insisted. “They're isomorphic. They're tuned to your brainwaves. They'll only respond to you.”

“They won’t respond,” older Kazran shrugged.

“Why not?” Ariel wondered. 

“That doesn't make sense. That's ridiculous. Why wouldn't?” The Doctor said, but his face fell as he realized. “Oh. Oh, of course. Stupid, stupid Doctor,” he muttered, smacking his hand against his forehead.

“What's wrong? Tell me, what is it?” Kazran implored.

“It's you. It's you,” the Doctor breathed and Ariel’s eyes grew wide as she began to understand. “We've changed you too much. The machine doesn't recognise you.”

“But my father programmed it,” Kazran reasoned with a small frown.

“For the man you became,” Ariel reminded him with a nod. “The man he raised you into.”

“No, your father would never have programmed it for the man you are now,” the Doctor sighed.

“Then what do we do?” Kazran asked.

“Er, er, I don't know,” the Doctor mumbled, raking his hands though his hair furiously as he paced the room. “I don't know.”

“There must be something,” young Kazran insisted.

“This,” old Kazran offered, holding up the broken screwdriver. “You can use this. I kept it, see?” He prompted, smiling as though that make up for everything.

“What, half a screwdriver?” The Doctor scoffed as he picked up the sonic.

“Doctor?” Ariel smiled, beginning to realize just how they may be able to use that to their advantage.

“With the other half up in the sky in a big old shark, right in the heart of the cloud layer,” the Doctor nodded, beginning to see how they could still win after all. “If we use your aerial to boost the signal, set up a resonation pattern between the two halves. Ooo, come on, that would work. My screwdriver, coolest bit of kit on this planet.” 

“Well,” Ariel hummed and the Doctor snorted as he peered at where the screwdriver had been broken off.

“Coolest two bits,” he mumbled. “It could do it,” he assured them.

“Do what?” Old Kazran asked, not quite understanding what they were thinking.

“Well, my screwdriver is still trying to repair,” the Doctor shrugged. “It's signalling itself. We use the signal, but we send something else.”

Ariel’s eyes widened as she realized and she hung her head. 

“Send what?” Young Kazran asked.

“Oh, God,” Ariel breathed. “Kazran, I’m so sorry,” she sighed.

“Well, what? What?” Old Kazran prompted.

“I'm sorry, Kazran. I truly am,” the Doctor nodded. 

“I don’t understand,” Kazran frowned.

“We need to transmit something into the cloud belt. Something we know works,” the Doctor sighed. “We need her to sing,” he said and Kazran’s face fell.

They headed down to the cryovault, and Kazran peered into the cryochamber, sighing softly as he glanced at Abigail.

“Why?” He asked simply, his voice cracking with just the one word.

“Her voice resonates perfectly with the ice crystals,” the Doctor said. “It calmed the shark. It will calm the sky, too.”

“Could you do it?” Kazran wondered. “Could you do this? Think about it, Doctor. One last day with your beloved,” he said, glancing pointedly at Ariel while the brunette continued to stare at the ground. “Which day would you choose?” He asked.

Kazran opened the chamber and Abigail and answered his question for him. “Christmas. Christmas Day,” Abigail replied. “Look at you. You're so old now. I think you waited a bit too long, didn't you?” She smiled, cupping Kazran’s cheek delicately.

“I’m sorry,” Kazran breathed.

“Hoarding my days, like an old miser,” Abigail chuckled, tears clouding her vision as Kazran had already started to cry.

“But if you leave the ice now-,” Kazran began, wiping away his tears over the woman he loved furiously as he watched her.

“We've had so many Christmas Eves, Kazran,” Abigail sighed, smiling sadly at the man she loved. “I think it's time for Christmas Day.”

“Yes,” Kazran muttered, nodding to the blonde.

“I hate to interrupt, but we need your help again, Abigail,” Ariel said. 

Abigail turned to the brunette and took a deep breath, grabbing Kazran’s hand and smiling at Ariel. “Yes, of course, what do you need?” She asked.

“We need you to sing again,” Ariel grinned.

~~~

Outside, Abigail used the sonic screwdriver as a microphone as she sang a new song to the sky. The Doctor had hooked the sonic screwdriver up to the beam transmitter in the mansion. The very one that controlled the skies.

“When you're alone, silence is all you know,” Abigail sang.

“Well?” Kazran prompted as the Doctor fiddled with the wiring. “Well?” He repeated.

“Well, the singing resonates in the crystals,” the Doctor explained. “It's feeding back and forth between the two halves of the screwdriver. Now, one song, filling the sky. The crystals will align and I'll feed in a controlled phase loop, and the clouds will unlock.”

“What does that mean, unlock?” Young Kazran asked with a small frown. “What happens when a cloud unlocks?”

“Something that hasn't happened in this town for a very long time now,” the Doctor hummed, beaming up at the sky.

“When you're alone, silence is all you see. When you're alone, silence is all you'll be,” Abigail sang.

Ariel gazed up at the sky with large eyes. “It’s snowing,” she breathed.

The Doctor smiled and wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close to his chest. 

“Give me your hand and come to me,” Abigail sang, holding out her hand to old Kazran and turning to him with a bright smile. “When you are here, music is all around. When you are near, music is all around. Open your eyes, don't make a sound.”

Kazran and Abigail wrapped their arms around each other and Kazran cried tears of both sadness and joy as they looked up at the sky and spotted the silhouette of the shark soaring across the sky.

“Hello, my old friend,” Kazran breathed and Abigail grinned.

“Let in the shadow,” Abigail sang.

The Doctor smiled at the pair of them and sat his head atop Ariel’s as he tightened his arms around her. He glanced down at young Kazran and sighed softly.

“Let’s go,” the Doctor mumbled, rubbing Ariel’s arms. The girl glanced down at young Kazran and spotted him yawning.

Ariel chuckled and nodded. “Come on, Kazran,” she said, wrapping her arm around Kazran as she walked out of the Doctor’s arms. “Let’s get you home.”

Kazran smiled softly and nodded, yawning once more as he did so, making Ariel giggle.

“Let in the shadow, let in the light of your bright shadow. Let in the shadow, let in the shadow,” Abigail sang.

The Doctor and Ariel headed to the Tardis with the young Kazran in tow. 

Ariel walked young Kazran into the Tardis and the boy plopped down in the jumpseat while the Doctor cast one last smile over at Kazran and Abigail before heading inside with them.

~~~

After they had dropped Kazran back home, Ariel and the Doctor waited outside the Tardis for Amy and Rory and Ariel happily built a snowman while they waited. 

The Doctor placed the nose on him and Ariel giggled as he proceeded to rub noses with the snowman.

“You know, that could almost be mistaken for a real person,” a familiar Scottish accent called. They both turned with large grins to find Amy and Rory trudging through the snow towards. “The snowman isn't bad, either.”

“Oh, I’ve missed you,” Ariel hummed. She stood up and ran to hug the redhead happily. 

“I’ve missed you too,” Amy nodded, pulling the brunette into another hug before leaving her be.

“Ah, yes, you two,” the Doctor sighed, clapping his hands together and grinning at them. “About time. Why are you dressed like that?” He wondered with a small frown as he took in their appearances.

Ariel stepped back and snorted as she realized Amy was dressed like a policewoman and Rory was dressed like a Roman Centurion.

“Er, kind of lost our luggage,” Rory reminded them with a shrug. “Kind of crash landed?”

“Yeah, but why are you dressed like that at all?” The Doctor implored and Ariel fought hard to conceal her laughter.

“You were on your honeymoon,” Ariel remembered. “Is that really what you two are into?”

Amy and Rory both paled while the Doctor began laughing alongside Ariel.

“Oh, don’t tell me you’ve never given it a shot,” Amy moaned.

“Not on a public starliner with two very different costumes,” Ariel laughed. “How does that even work? A Roman and a modern policewoman?”

“Anyway,” Amy said, desperate to change the subject which only resulted in Ariel laughing even harder. “They really love their snowmen around here, don't they?” She hummed as she glanced around to the open area flooded with snowmen. “I've counted about twenty.”

“Yeah, we’ve been busy,” the Doctor shrugged, smirking down at Ariel who giggled as she glanced around at how overboard she had gone.

“Yeah,” Amy nodded. “Yeah, you have,” she sighed. She eyed the couple for a moment and smiled. “Thank you.”

“Pleasure,” the Doctor grinned. He took a deep breath and glanced back at the Tardis door. “Right, come on then, let's go,” he nodded.

“Got any more honeymoon ideas?” Rory prompted, raising a brow at the pair.

“Well, there's a moon that's made of actual honey,” the Doctor hummed. “Well, not actual honey, and it's not actually a moon, and technically it's alive, and a bit carnivorous, but there are some lovely views,” he shrugged.

“Yeah. Great. Thanks,” Rory said, the tone of sarcasm apparent when he spoke. 

Ariel chuckled as he headed inside the Tardis. “You gotta admit that’s better than the Space Pirates he suggested,” she reminded him as she followed him inside. 

“Yeah, but carnivorous?” Rory frowned.

“Ah, it could be worse,” Ariel shrugged.

“If you think that then I can’t wait to see where the two of you go on your honeymoon,” Rory chuckled.

Ariel laughed and rolled her eyes. 

All of a sudden, the phone began ringing and Ariel frowned. She walked over and answered on the third ring.

“Hello, the Tardis,” Ariel sighed, leaning down on the console as she spoke. 

“Hello, love!” Marilyn exclaimed. “You said we would be taking the trip to Venice. Now, when will that be happening?” She wondered.

Ariel winced as memories of her drunken state back at Frank Sinatra’s party flooded back to her. “Er, one moment,” she requested. She placed the receiver against her chest and glanced at Rory with large eyes. “Can you get the Doctor?”

“Yeah, what for?” Rory asked. 

“Tell him Marilyn’s on the line waiting for an answer about Venice,” Ariel said.

“Wait?” Rory froze. “As in  _ the  _ Marilyn?” Rory prompted.

“It’s a long story,” Ariel shrugged.

Rory just scoffed and headed down to the front door. “I’ll bet,” he mumbled. He opened the door and peered out at the Doctor and Amy. “Doctor? Someone’s on the phone called Marilyn. Ariel says she’s asking about Venice.”

The Doctor paled and peered inside the Tardis while Ariel was uncomfortably talking to Marilyn, trying to work out just how much they had done while she was drunk.

“Ariel!” The Doctor called.

“Hang on a second,” Ariel mumbled into the phone. She glanced up and raised a brow at the Doctor. 

“Call her back,” he instructed. “Tell her we never said when and we’ve got a lot on at the moment,” he said.

Ariel nodded and told Marilyn just that.

“Is that  _ actually _ Marilyn Monroe?” Rory asked.

“It’s a long story,” the Doctor sighed.

“That’s what she said,” Rory nodded. “If I’m honest, I’m not sure if I want to know,” he confessed and stepped back inside the Tardis, closing the door behind him.

“Where are they?” Amy wondered. “Kazran and Abigail,” she clarified.

“Off on a little trip, I should think,” the Doctor smiled, glancing up at the sky.

“Where?” Amy asked. 

“Christmas,” the Doctor replied simply.

“Christmas?” Amy repeated with a small frown. 

“Yeah, Christmas,” the Doctor hummed and with that they headed back inside the Tardis.

Up above the clouds, Kazran and Abigail sat in a carriage, flown through the air by a familiar shark and laughed happily as they spent their last Christmas together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if you guys actually enjoy reading chapters about the wedding, but if you don't you may wanna skip next chapter.


	34. The Wedding Planners

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be uploading a lot within these next few hours so that I can post the wedding chapter in time for the royal wedding. I hope you guys really like the vows and surprises I have planned.

Ariel heaved a deep sigh as she tossed a large binger onto the table making Amy’s plate clatter as she stared up at the exhausted brunette, her food halfway to her mouth as she frowned.

“I’m officially done,” Ariel moaned as she plopped down in the chair across from her redheaded friend. “I don’t want anything else to do with this wedding. Have it without me,” she insisted before plopping her head down on the binder, overloaded with information.

“You realize that’s basically impossible right,” Amy frowned as she picked up some papers that had fallen out of Ariel’s binder and looked through them.

“I don’t want to do anymore planning,” Ariel moped. “I have to; pick bridesmaids, pick bridesmaids dresses, write vows, pick the Doctor’s groomsmen because he can’t decide and I stupidly offered to do it for him.”

“Hire a wedding planner,” Amy said, a mouthful of food as she flicked through the venue options Ariel had. 

Some of them were ordinary, like France or Italy, but others showed how much she had to choose from when they were different time periods or alien planets she found pretty and were the least hostile. Amy read through them in fascination as she shoveled food into her mouth. If she had been in Ariel’s position she was sure she would have gone out of her mind.

“I have!” Ariel exclaimed. “A bloody royal wedding planner and she still isn’t enough because half of this stuff I have to do by myself.”

“Well, what’s she done so far?” Amy asked.

Ariel sighed and flipped open the binder with thudded on the table as she flicked to the section of “things done by Caroline”. 

It was very thin.

“She made the invitations for us, she set the decorations, and she got the cake,” Ariel listed.

“That’s it?” Amy frowned.

“Well, considering the fact we haven’t chosen a venue yet she hasn’t had much to work with,” Ariel sighed. 

“What are the options?” Amy asked.

Ariel grabbed the five sheets of paper Amy had taken and looked through them. 

“These two,” she said, holding up the Paris and Italy venues are River’s favorites. Apalapucia,” she said, holding up a photograph. “Is the Doctor’s favorite. And Paris in the 17th century is Caroline’s favorite.”

“Who’s Caroline?” Amy frowned.

“The wedding planner,” Ariel moaned.

“Well, what’s your favorite?” Amy asked.

“I dunno!” Ariel exclaimed. “I’m torn between modern Paris and Apalapucia,” she sighed.

“Well, okay, hold on,” Amy nodded. She placed her food to the side and picked up the two photos. “Would you rather all your guests go into the Tardis to get there, or take a plane?”

“Plane I suppose,” Ariel murmured with a small frown. “So, they can get there on their own time. And besides the guest bedrooms in the Tardis are rubbish.”

“You’re not wrong there,” Amy chuckled. “Okay, do you want the French to host your wedding or some aliens?”

“Either or, I-,” Ariel shrugged.

“No, no, no,” Amy shook her head. “You have to choose. This is the moment where all those I dunnos get answered.”

“Alright,” Ariel sighed. “The French I guess. It feels easier,” she shrugged. 

“Okay,” Amy nodded. “Last one,” she said. “Do you want a venue easy to decorate and bring a cake to, or do you want to spend more time on decorations and make the cake there?”

“Easy decorations,” Ariel moaned. 

“Then you have your venue,” Amy smiled, tossing the photo to Ariel. “But we’d better still go here someday,” she insisted, pointing to Apalapucia. 

Ariel giggled as she stared down at the picture of Paris with large eyes. “I should have hired you instead of Caroline!” She cried. 

Amy laughed and picked her food back up. “It’s nothing,” she shrugged. “I did this a ton with my wedding. Though Aunt Sharon was a bit more forceful with the decisions,” she frowned.

“Okay, that’s one thing out of the way,” Ariel sighed. “But I still have to pick bridesmaids,” she mumbled.

“Have you already picked a wedding dress?” Amy frowned.

“Yeah,” Ariel nodded, pulling out the design and showing it to Amy. “Alexander McQueen is designing it.”

Amy choked on her drink as she looked down at the design. “You traveled back in time to get Alexander Mcqueen to design your wedding dress?” She gasped.

“Yeah,” Ariel shrugged. “The Doctor taught me how to fly the Tardis within a single planet, just through different time periods though. He said it was baby steps but I should know that for the wedding so I could do as I wanted.”

“He’s really letting you have full reign of this isn’t he?” Amy frowned as she looked through the different sketches of her dress.

“He said it’s my day and I should have what I wanted,” Ariel smiled. “It’s adorable but entirely stressful,” she sighed. “I mean how the hell am I supposed to choose bridesmaids?”

“Don’t look at me,” Amy chuckled, raising her hands in surrender. “I’m way too biased in that matter.”

“No, you’re good,” Ariel nodded. “I’ve already got you and River down. The problem is choosing which of you is Chief Bridesmaid and who else to put down.”

“Well how many bridesmaids do you want?” 

“Four,” Ariel guessed with a shrug. “I was thinking of doing that many for the groomsmen, so. But the problem is, I have you and River of course, but I also have; Martha, Gwen, Sarah Jane, and then Jack’s going to want some part in it as well.”

“Can’t he just be one of the groomsmen?” Amy suggested.

“Well, that would be brilliant but I already have a full list of people for groomsmen,” Ariel sighed. “The Brigadier, Mickey Smith, Wilfred Mott, Ian Chesterton, Rory, Harry Sullivan, and I still have to get an invitation to Susan,” she listed.

“Blimey,” Amy murmured. “Picking groomsmen from a bloke over a thousand years old.”

“I know,” Ariel groaned. 

“But maybe Jack could give you away,” Amy suggested with a shrug. “Your Dad can’t and you always said he was like an older brother to you.”

“That’s brilliant!” Ariel exclaimed, jotting a note in the binder. “Seriously, I should have hired you.”

“I doubt you can afford me,” Amy hummed and Ariel laughed. 

“Okay, so, winter wedding in Paris. I’ve got the dress sorted. Jack’s giving me away. Bridesmaids dresses,” she sighed.

“I’m not wearing some big ridiculous dress to your wedding I’ll put that out there right now,” Amy said.

Ariel giggled. “No, I was thinking light blue,” she mumbled, making a note to tell Alexander McQueen later.

“Good,” Amy sighed. 

“Oh, I almost didn’t tell you the best part,” Ariel smiled. “The one thing I did manage to plan out. Frank Sinatra will be singing.”

“You really are in full control of this wedding, aren’t you?” Amy laughed. 

“Yeah, I wanted to bring some of our friends from the past like Victoria and Albert but it’d be too suspicious to bring them to a twenty-first century wedding. I could tell them about time travel but Victoria was iffy about trains, I doubt she’ll be too pleased about a time machine.”

“I’d tell her just to hear her say ‘we are not amused’,” Amy said, imitating a posh British accent when she spot and making Ariel snort with laughter.

“That’d be a sight,” Ariel giggled. “But okay, so everything’s sorted except my vows, the rest of the bridesmaids, and the groomsmen.”

“Are you having hen and stag nights?” Amy asked.

Ariel snorted. “No,” she shook her head. “I asked the Doctor if he would want to do a stag night and he asked if he would get to come out of the cake like he did at Rory’s.”

Amy laughed and shook her head. “Yeah, better not have a repeat of that,” she mumbled. Ariel giggled and nodded.

“Okay, so bridesmaids,” Ariel hummed. “You, River, probably Martha, and Gwen,” she decided with a firm nod. “Doctor’s groomsmen,” she began then blanched when she read the list again.

“Better save that for later,” Amy laughed and Ariel nodded shakily.

Meanwhile, the Doctor took a deep breath as he keyed in the coordinates. Ariel had told him she was going to discuss the wedding with Amy and Rory was asleep so hopefully he would get the chance to get away scot free on this trip.

He landed the Tardis and took a glance at the scanner to make sure he had gotten the destination right. 

He didn’t have the time to mess this one up. He had to be out and back before Ariel could walk out and see where he was.

He let out a soft sigh of relief when he spotted Ariel’s childhood home in the scanner. 

The Doctor stepped outside and walked up the small path to her home. He knocked on the door and straightened his bow tie as he waited.

“Just a moment,” a male voice with a thick London cockney accent called. 

The Doctor smiled softly at the sound. Ariel wasn’t kidding when she said her father had been a Londoner through and through.

The door swung open and a man that looked just like a male version of Ariel raised a brow at the Doctor. 

In his arms, he held a small girl donning a tiny jersey with her short brown hairs combed perfectly in place. Her bright grey eyes shined out at the Doctor while he smiled softly at her.

“Yeah?” The man prompted.

“Matthew Parsons?” The Doctor implored raising a brow at the man.

“Do I know you?” Matthew frowned.

“I know this is going to sound odd, but I’m the Doctor. I’m from the future and I’m engaged to your daughter,” the Doctor said and Matthew’s eyes grew wide. 

“You’re mad,” Matthew scoffed. “This is my daughter,” he said, holding up the eleven month old who giggled at the sight of the Doctor and swiped at him happily as though trying to grab for him. 

The Doctor chuckled and held out his hand to her which she squeezed happily. 

“Who seems to have a mighty big fancy for you,” Matthew observed with a small frown. “That’s odd. She usually can’t stand strangers.”

“If you need further proof, I can provide it,” the Doctor promised. “But I’ve just come here to ask your permission to marry her.”

“If you really are from the future why couldn’t you just ask me then?” Matthew scoffed, his hand on the door ready to slam it in the man’s face. 

The Doctor held the door and gave him a pained, but mournful look and Matthew’s face fell. 

There was only this man would be unable to ask him for permission in the future because he knew without a sliver of doubt that he would never leave his daughter or abandon her. 

“How do I know you’re telling the truth?” Matthew mumbled.

“As a complete stranger, I can tell you that on your wedding day you got Carol’s name wrong and she smacked you on the arm twice. I can tell you that Ariel’s first word was be ‘dog’ when you pass a pet shelter and after you see the way she reaches after the dogs you decide to adopt. I can tell you that Ariel’s first steps were taken outside your mother’s house and she walked straight into the pool giving you about five seconds to celebrate before you had to bolt after her and save her from drowning.”

“She tells you all this?” Matthew frowned. 

“And much more,” the Doctor nodded. “If you let me in I can prove I’m not just some madman who showed up on your doorstep and claimed he was marrying your daughter,” he assured him.

Matthew sighed softly and glanced down at Ariel in his arms who was still squirming to be held by the Doctor. “Alright,” Matthew nodded. “If you know all that, I’ll give you a shot, but if you do turn out to be a madman I won’t kick you out. I’ll just let my wife have at you.”

“I meet your wife in the future,” the Doctor chuckled and nodded. “I know she’s not one to trust easily,” he said as he stepped inside the house.

“That’s an understatement,” Matthew hummed. 

“Love?!” Carol called from upstairs. “Who is it? Who was at the door?”

“Just an old friend, sweetie!” Matthew replied. “Him and I are gonna do some catching up in the sitting room.”

Carol marched down the steps and sighed softly, stopping where she was just within sight of her husband but not ready to head down the steps. 

“Oh, hello,” Carol sighed when she spotted the Doctor. “I don’t believe we’ve met. Carol Parsons,” the woman introduced, holding out her hand for the Doctor.

The Doctor was just about to introduce himself when he paused. In the future, Carol meets him for the first time as the Doctor. He may have a different face, but he couldn’t use the same name.

“John Smith,” the Doctor smiled and Carol grinned and nodded as she shook his hand. 

“Where do you know Matt from?” Carol asked with a small frown.

The Doctor glanced back at Matthew and called on his knowledge from all that Ariel had told him to fuel the conversation. “Ah, University of West London,” he answered. “We had the same biology courses,” he nodded.

“Ah,” Carol hummed. “Well, pleasure to meet you,” she said before directing her attention to her husband. “Did you feed Ariel like I said? I’m going out with the girls again and I won’t have a chance to.”

“Yes, Mum!” Ariel snapped and Matthew chuckled as he placed Ariel on the ground and shrugged to his wife. 

“The girl said it for herself,” Matthew shrugged. 

“Yes, alright,” Carol sighed, seemingly put out that her own daughter was sassing her. “Pleasure meeting you,” she nodded to the Doctor.

She headed back up the steps and Matthew turned to the Doctor with a small frown. “Why did you tell her your name was John Smith but tell me it was the Doctor?”

“Long story,” the Doctor sighed, shrugged to the man. “She meets me in the future and it would be a bit odd for her to meet the same man twice.”

“Fair enough, I suppose,” Matthew mumbled. “But wouldn’t she recognize your face?”

“Like I said, long story,” the Doctor sighed.

Right by his side, Ariel tugged on his trousers repetitively. When the Doctor glanced down, Ariel held up her arms and jumped. 

“Up!” She exclaimed. “Lift up!” 

The Doctor chuckled softly and lifted her up only to have her poke at his face and giggle. “You’re pretty,” she remarked and the Doctor smiled. “Dad, he’s pretty,” she announced.

Matthew laughed and shook his head at his daughter as he took her from the Doctor’s arms into his own only to have her complain loudly.

“I’m sorry about this,” Matthew frowned. “She’s not usually like this,” he mumbled. 

“It’s alright,” the Doctor smiled.

They headed into the sitting room and Matthew placed Ariel down on the sofa beside them only to have her immediately stand up and marched over her Dad’s legs back to the Doctor and sit down on his leg.

Matthew chuckled softly and sighed as he watched Ariel before turning to meet the Doctor’s eyes.

“So, you want to marry my daughter, but you say you traveled here from the future?” Matthew prompted with a small frown.

“I have a time machine,” the Doctor nodded. “Well, it’s sort of a time machine and a spaceship wrapped into one,” he shrugged. “And I travel throughout the universe in it.”

“And my daughter travels with you in the future?” Matthew guessed.

The Doctor nodded. “She started traveling with me back when I had nobody,” he mumbled, hanging his head as he bounced Ariel on his leg mindlessly.

“And do you want her just because she’s there when you have nobody?” Matthew implored.

“No,” the Doctor shook his head. “She’s more than that,” he sighed. “She’s funny, she’s brave, she’s brilliant in every sense of the word.”

“As much as I love to hear that as her father, I’m going to need more,” Matthew persisted. “You’re talking about asking my permission for my daughter to spend the rest of her life with you. I want to know I’m not sending her into the hands of someone who’ll grow bored of her fast and want a divorce.”

“I could never,” the Doctor scoffed.

“I know you believe that now,” Matthew nodded. “But you never know what the future could bring at the very start of a marriage. I want to know my daughter is in safe hands because that little girl is my whole world and even if I’m not there to see it I don’t want to be the reason for her heart breaking.”

The Doctor took a deep breath and glanced down at Ariel as she glared at his bow tie. He chuckled and shook his head as he watched her. 

“She’s-She’s everything to me,” the Doctor muttered. “She’s the one thing I never thought I’d be able to have and when she’s there and willing to be with me it feels like I’ve won the greatest prize in the universe. I don’t think I’d be able to face living without her,” he mumbled.

Matthew eyed him warily for a moment. “What do you mean she’s the one thing you never thought you’d be able to have?”

“She makes me happy,” the Doctor shrugged. “I never thought I deserved that. I never thought I would get the chance to be really properly happy again and yet here she is. She alone makes every day better,” he smiled.

Matthew watched him closely for a moment before grinning at the Doctor and nodded. “Alright, you can marry my daughter, but two conditions.”

“Which are?” The Doctor prompted with a raised brow, swiping Ariel off him when she tried to yank off his bow tie. 

“One, you promise to treat my daughter like a Queen every day for the rest of your days so long as you both shall live,” Matthew said.

“Easy,” the Doctor shrugged. 

“Second, when the time comes I don’t care how, but I want to see my little girl on the day she gets married. Even if only for a moment,” Matthew said.

“That can be arranged,” the Doctor nodded. “I’ll see if I can’t work something out.”

“Brilliant,” Matthew smirked. “With that in mind, I wish you a happy marriage, Doctor.”

Matthew stood up and the Doctor moved Ariel from his lap so he could do the same. The men hugged and the Doctor grinned as he pulled away.

“Thank you,” the Doctor said.

“It’s my pleasure,” Matthew smiled. “I think my daughter is going to be very happy with you,” he said, glancing down at Ariel and sighing softly. “I hate knowing I won’t be there for her, but at least I know she’ll be with someone who loves her as deeply as you.”

“I’ll take care of her,” the Doctor assured the man with a nod.

“You’d better,” Matthew chuckled. He took a deep breath and glanced at the Doctor. “Right then, hopefully I’ll see you again.”

“You will,” the Doctor promised. 

“Goodbye, Doctor,” Matthew smiled.

“Goodbye, Mister Parsons.”

“Oh, we’re family now,” Matthew scoffed. “Please, call me Matthew,” the man insisted.

“Goodbye, Matthew,” the Doctor grinned.

“Goodbye.”

The Doctor headed outside and back to the Tardis just as Ariel walked out with a large binder and a pencil. 

“Alright, I’m calling it,” Ariel moaned. “I officially cannot be trusted to sort out bridesmaid dresses,” she smiled as she glanced up at the Doctor momentarily. “Alexander said I should sketch out a design for the dresses back when I just told him I wanted something blue and I thought it would be easy but,” she sighed and dropped the binder onto the console. “I have since realized I am a terrible artist.”

The Doctor just beamed at her and she frowned. He walked over and wrapped his arms around her, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. 

“Okay, what’s gotten into you?” Ariel asked, turning in his arms and draping her arms over his shoulders. “Usually when I talk about wedding stuff you just respond with ‘whatever you want to do is fine’.”

“Nothing,” the Doctor shook his head.

“Okay, that’s a lie,” Ariel scoffed. “You know you’re terrible at lying to me,” she reminded him. “What’s going on?”

“I just thought of the best wedding present to get you,” the Doctor shrugged.

“We have to get each other wedding present?” Ariel gasped with large eyes. “I was kind of counting on being the one getting all the presents,” she said and the Doctor laughed. 

“You don’t have to get me anything,” the Doctor assured her with a shake of his head. “I just found something that’ll make you happy the day of.”

“Oh, no, now I feel like I should,” Ariel sighed. “Don’t worry. I’m going to get you something that’ll be bloody brilliant,” she assured him. 

She grabbed the binder and pulled out of his arms before turning to the staircase leading out of the console room and up to the corridor. 

“Amy! Back to the drawing board!” Ariel called.

There was a loud groan from the corridor and Ariel tossed a grin over her shoulder. “She loves me,” she shrugged and the Doctor chuckled as the brunette ran up the staircase to her red haired best friend.


	35. Time and Space

The Doctor whistled while he worked beneath the Tardis console and Ariel and Rory were on the lower level. 

Ariel sat on the swing, occasionally reminding Rory what the Doctor had told him while Rory donned the Doctor’s goggles and worked.

“Hey,” Amy said, walking over to the Doctor and smiling nervously. 

The Doctor rolled out from beneath the console and flashed a quick smile. “Hey,” he said before rolling back under. 

Amy watched him for a moment, shifting awkwardly before grabbing his shoulder and pulling him back out. 

“Listen. Can we talk?” She asked, raising a brow at the Doctor.

The Doctor’s eyes widened, flooding with fear at what this could mean. “Rory! Ariel!” The Doctor bellowed before rolling back under the console, hoping to never have to deal with whatever conversation was meant to follow.

“Stop,” Amy snapped with a roll of her eyes. “Shut up,” she huffed as she pulled the Doctor back out. “I've just got a question, that's all,” she shrugged.

“You called?” Ariel prompted, halfway up the stairs and raising a brow at her fiancé and Amy. 

“You okay up there?” Rory called from the lower level.

“Yeah, fine, no problem,” the Doctor assured them.

Ariel frowned, but shrugged and headed back down to the lower level with Rory. 

“What are you doing?” Amy frowned as she stared down at her husband and Ariel through the glass floor. 

“Helping the Doctor,” Rory replied.

“He’s working. I’m correcting as he goes,” Ariel nodded. “I’d be doing the same with the Doctor but he’s the newbie and I can only be in one place unfortunately.”

“Oi, I know what I’m doing!” The Doctor exclaimed. 

“Was what you said the day we wound up at the wrong wedding and ended up getting me married to Henry the Eighth, which I still haven’t forgiven you for the way,” Ariel reminded him.

“It was an accident,” the Doctor moaned. “We were right around the end of Anne Boleyn’s timeline anybody could have mixed up the dates,” he shrugged. 

“Anne got married in January and the wedding we were at was in May,” Ariel frowned. 

“Well, I-,” the Doctor began, trying to argue that point when his face fell. “Shut up!” He exclaimed and Ariel just laughed at him.

“Doctor, it’s humming,” Rory announced. “Is that okay?” He asked, frowning at the Tardis.

“Yeah, it's fine,” the Doctor sighed. “We're just entering conceptual space. Imagine a banana, or anything curved,” he said and frowned when he realized that was a rubbish example. “Actually, don't. It's not curved or like a banana. Forget the banana!” He exclaimed.

“Er, are they helping you fly the Tardis?” Amy prompted with a raised brow.

“Detach servo-couplings two, seven and eleven, like I showed you!” The Doctor called. “Ariel, correct him if he’s wrong,” he instructed.

“Got it,” Ariel nodded, hopping off the swing to watch Rory as he moved.

“How come they get to have a go?” Amy wondered. “You never let me have a go.”

“Er, Doctor, don't. Seriously. I let her drive my car once,” Rory sighed and shook his head as though to wipe away the memory.

“Yeah, to the end of the road,” Amy scoffed. 

“Was it really that bad?” Ariel asked Rory.

“According to Amy, there was an unexpected house,” Rory said and Ariel snorted, laughing as she glanced up at the redhead through the glass floor.

“He's jealous because I passed my test first time,” Amy sighed.

“Blimey, I didn’t even pass it the third time,” Ariel murmured. “Then again, maybe that’s why it took me so long to learn my way round the Tardis,” she realized.

“And that’s why I took so long trusting you to fly,” the Doctor nodded. “After the Tower of Pisa incident-.”

“For the hundredth time it was never going to be popular if I hadn’t made it leaning!” Ariel exclaimed. “Oh, what do you know? You  _ never  _ passed your flying test.”

“Oi!” The Doctor snapped. “They don’t need to know that,” he sighed. 

“Pretty sure we already do,” Amy chuckled and Ariel giggled.

“No, hold on. Amy cheated during hers,” Rory insisted. “That’s the only way she passed the first time.” 

“How did I cheat?” Amy wondered, her tone sounding as though the idea was already ridiculous.

“You wore a skirt,” Rory reminded her.

“I didn’t wear a skirt,” Amy frowned and Ariel snorted.

The Doctor crawled out from beneath the console and eyed Amy with large eyes as he picture that sort of appearance to her driving test.

“That would have worked too,” Rory nodded.

“No, no, I did wear a skirt,” Amy remembered with a shake of her head. “But it was any old skirt,” she shrugged.

“Have either of you seen Amy drive?” Rory asked Ariel and the Doctor.

“No,” the Doctor replied. 

“I don’t think so,” Amy mumbled.

“Neither did her driving examiner,” Rory chuckled and Ariel laughed as she gesturing to servo-coupling seven. 

“Actually, it was this one,” Amy nodded as she gestured down to her skirt. “It was this skirt,” she remembered. 

Rory looked up to see the skirt and his eyes went wide when he spotted more than he had bargained for. He dropped a thermo-coupling and Ariel practically shrieked at him as the Tardis went dark and tilted. 

“Rory!” Ariel moaned and he just winced as he picked the thermo-coupling back up. 

“Whoops,” he mumbled and Ariel rolled her eyes.

“What was that?” Amy breathed. 

“Rory? Did you drop a thermo-coupling?” The Doctor called.

“Sorry,” Rory sighed. 

“Oh, my God, let me do it,” Ariel groaned, taking over for him while he stepped back.

“Argh!” The Doctor cried. “How did you do that? I told you, don't drop them. I specifically mentioned not dropping. I even had Ariel down there watching you!” He exclaimed.

“Yeah, and she’s the one doing the work now, thank you very much,” Ariel sighed. 

“It was my fault,” Amy mumbled.

“Of course it wasn't your fault,” the Doctor scoffed.

“It was kinda her fault,” Rory nodded.

“Yeah, it was her fault,” Ariel confirmed with a nod. She had seen where Rory’s eyes wandered before he dropped the thermo-coupling. She just felt bad she hadn’t caught the coupling in time. 

“How could it be her fault?” The Doctor wondered.

“Because it was my skirt and my husband and your glass floor,” Amy sighed, pointing down toward Rory who waved nervously with bright red cheeks.

“Oh, Rory,” the Doctor moaned.

“Sorry,” Rory mumbled.

“It’s alright,” Ariel nodded. “He’s done it before too,” she said.

“What?” Amy laughed. “You did the same thing as Rory?”

“Yeah, except I was wearing a dress not a skirt and all it did was make us land in the middle of Prince Albert’s funeral,” she said. “And I mean  _ right  _ in the middle, like-.”

“We were on the coffin,” the Doctor nodded 

Amy snorted. “Oh, I’d pay anything to see that,” she sighed.

“Trust me, it was not a pretty sight,” Ariel winced, remembering how angry Queen Victoria had been with her.

The Doctor sighed as he messed with the controls on the console. “Never mind that,” he said. “Well, we've landed. Emergency materialisation. Should be fine. Should have dropped off in the safest spot available,” he announced as Ariel and Rory headed back up the steps to the console room.

The Doctor turned on the lights inside the Tardis and revealed, making each of their eyes widen, another small Tardis within the large one.

“Oh, my God,” Ariel breathed.

“Doctor, what's happened?” Amy frowned. 

“Safest spot available,” the Doctor murmured. “The Tardis has materialised inside itself.”

“Is that supposed to happen?” Rory asked.

Ariel, Rory and Amy all stared at the smaller Tardis over the railing while the Doctor walked down the steps to inspect the smaller Tardis.

“Take a guess,” the Doctor mumbled.

“No?” Rory guessed.

“That’s the one,” the Doctor hummed.

“What are you doing?” Amy asked as the Doctor began to inspect the Tardis before opening the door.

“Absolutely no idea,” the Doctor sighed, but regardless, he stepped inside.

Right after he stepped inside the smaller Tardis, he reappeared walking in through the main door of their Tardis with large eyes.

“Sorry, what?!” Ariel exclaimed, frowning at the sight.

“Okay, that is a bit weird,” Amy decided with a nod.

The Doctor stuck his arm in the main door of the Tardis and the door to the new Tardis opened with his arm sticking out and waving at them.

“That is actually pretty cool,” Rory chuckled.

The Doctor walked out through the main door and reappeared walking out through the smaller Tardis.

“I'm glad you're entertained, Rory, now that we're stuck here for all eternity at least you won't be bored,” the Doctor snapped, marching up to the trio in the console room.

“Wait, what, we’re stuck?” Amy frowned. 

“How are we stuck?” Ariel wondered.

“The inside of the Tardis is now joined to the outside of the Tardis,” the Doctor explained. “Worse than a time loop, a space loop. Nothing can enter or leave this ship ever again,” he sighed.

Just after he said that, two individuals walked inside the Tardis and they all looked up to see Amy and Ariel grinning at them.

“Okay, kids. This is where it gets complicated,” the new Amy announced.

“Whoa,” Ariel giggled. “I’ve always wanted to meet another version of myself,” she said with large eyes.

“I know,” the new Ariel beamed.

“Hold on, who the hell are you?!” Amy exclaimed.

“We’re you,” the new Amy said.

“Both of you,” new Ariel nodded.

“From the future,” new Amy told them.

The Doctor tiptoed toward the girls warily and glanced between them before turning his attention to Ariel. “Tell me exactly what's happened,” he said.

“Well, the exterior shell of the Tardis has drifted forwards in time,” new Ariel said. “If you step into the box now, you step into the control floor a tiny bit in the past.”

“I don’t understand,” Amy frowned.

“Neither do I,” Ariel shook her head.

“Neither do we,” Amy shrugged. “We’re just repeating what we remember ourselves saying when we were standing where you’re standing.”

“Okay, but do I really look like that?” Ariel smirked.

“I know,” new Ariel beamed. 

The Doctor turned to watch the pair with large eyes and a small grin crept onto his lips before he shook his head, reminding himself to focus. “Okay, when do you two step into the box?” He asked the girls. “We need to maintain the timeline.”

“Ah, as soon as we’ve smacked the pair of you,” new Amy nodded.

“What?” The Doctor frowned.

“Amy smacks Rory and I smack you to be more specific,” new Ariel clarified.

“Okay,” Amy and Ariel said in unison, glancing at their significant others with almost excited smiles. 

“Hold on, why do we get slapped?” Rory asked the women.

“Because we have to stick to the established chain of events,” the Doctor sighed as he ran back up to the console room. “Just don’t smack me too hard?” He requested, smiling sweetly at Ariel.

“Of course, love,” Ariel grinned, cupping his cheek delicately.

Rory glanced at Amy and the redhead just chuckled. “I’m not making that same promise,” she shrugged.

“Do we really have to do this?” Rory moaned

“One mistake and the whole timeline could collapse,” the Doctor nodded. “We could end up with two Amy Ponds and Ariel Parsons forever, and then what would you-,” the Doctor cut himself off as his eyes widened and he and Rory both realized what they would do.

“Oh!” Ariel exclaimed and simultaneously she and Amy smacked Rory and the Doctor across the cheeks while the new versions of themselves snickered.

“Ow!” The Doctor cried, rubbing his cheek. “You said you wouldn’t do it hard!”

“That was before I knew you would say that!” Ariel exclaimed. “And I’m not going to apologize,” she insisted. 

The Doctor sighed and shook his head. “Alright,” he moaned. “You two, into the Tardis now,” he instructed, walking Ariel and Amy into the smaller Tardis.

“And then we become them?” Amy assumed, glancing at their other selves.

“Yes,” the Doctor nodded. “Go, go, go!” He cried. 

Amy and Ariel nodded and raced inside the smaller Tardis. After they were gone, their future selves ran up to the console room, time now restored.

“So, is that it? Are we okay now?” Amy asked.

“No, we’re still trapped,” the Doctor sighed.

“Yeah, the smaller Tardis is still there,” Ariel nodded as she walked up to the Doctor’s side and he wrapped his arm around her. “But how do we get it out?”

“I think we-,” the Doctor began.

Before the could finish, the main door to the Tardis opened again and Ariel, Rory, and Amy all ran out. 

“Oh, not again,” Ariel moaned.

“Hello,” the new Ariel waved nervously. 

“What are you doing?” The Doctor frowned back at them.

“You told us to get into the police box. Well, from your point of view you're about to tell us to get into the police box. From our point of view you just told us to get into the police box, which is why we got into the police box, which is why we're here,” the new Rory explained awkwardly.

“That’s still a terrible way to put it,” new Ariel sighed.

“Do I have to memorize all that?” Rory frowned.

“It sort of just happens,” new Rory shrugged.

“Nothing happens before you tell us to get inside,” new Ariel assured the Doctor with a nod.

“Right then,” the Doctor nodded. He wrapped his arms around the trio and ushered them towards the Tardis. “In the police box, now,” he instructed.

The three all ran inside and the trio left over sighed in relief. 

“So, what now?” Amy prompted. 

They moved to step forward but the Doctor held up a hand to stop them in their tracks. “You three, stay where you are!” He exclaimed.

“What are you doing?” Rory asked.

“I'm setting up a controlled temporal implosion,” the Doctor announced as he fiddled with the controls. “It's the only way to reset the Tardis. But unless I find exactly the right lever to control the implosion, we're all going to die,” he sighed.

“Oh, that sounds promising,” Ariel mumbled.

“You don’t know which lever?!” Amy exclaimed. 

“No. But I'm about to find out,” the Doctor smiled as he stepped forward and looked to the main door.

The door swung open and a new Doctor ran inside while Amy yelped in surprise. 

“The wibbly lever!” The new Doctor proclaimed. 

“The wibbly lever!” The Doctor cried and moved the lever on the console. “Thank you,” he sighed before running inside the smaller Tardis.

The four of them all watched with grins as the smaller Tardis dematerialized and left the Tardis they were in.

“Okay, we're back in normal flight,” the Doctor announced with a nod. “The Tardis is no longer inside itself, the localised time field is no longer about to implode and rip a hole in all causality. But just in case, Pond, put some trousers on,” he advised with a sigh and Ariel laughed as Amy frowned at her skirt and rolled her eyes at Rory who blushed profusely.


	36. Bad Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two parter! Woohoo! Also, I finished writing the wedding chapter and my beta said she cried like a baby so I can't wait for you guys to read.

In the console room, the Tardis phone rang loudly. It was left unanswered by the two people who usually pick it up and soon Amy was awoken by the ringing.

She groaned as she marched into the console room and picked up the phone. “Hello?” She prompted and frowned as a fly began itching at her neck. She swatted at it furiously as she tried to listen to the voice on the other end of the line. “They’re-They’re not here,” she mumbled, glancing at the door as a silent question rang in her mind. 

_ Where the hell were the Doctor and Ariel? _

“Who’s speaking?” Amy asked, swatting at the fly furiously as she did so. “Sorry, the Prince of where?” She prompted, swatting the fly off the console. “Which one?” She asked as the fly landed on her shoulder. “No, no, which Prince, not which Wales,” she corrected. “Um, what year is this?” She asked as she picked up one of Ariel’s old books from the console and killed the fly.

“I think that’s probably for me!” The Doctor exclaimed. He rushed inside carrying a fishbowl with a rather large goldfish and toting an umbrella. He donned a top hat and coat and passed the goldfish to Amy. “Hold this,” he instructed before picking up the phone. “Hello? Ha! Yes, everything’s fine, don’t worry,” he assured the Prince. 

The Doctor marched back towards Amy and the redhead ducked as the phoneline went over her head. “Well, exactly!” He exclaimed. “Why should you be worrying?” He wondered. “Who even mentioned worrying?”

He marched back past Amy and she ducked once again as the phoneline went over her head. “She’s fine!” He insisted. “No, your Mum is-your Mum is fine!” He assured the Prince. 

The Doctor pressed the receiver to his chest and turned to glare at Amy. “Don’t answer this phone. Ariel and I answer this phone,” he snapped.

“Where have you been?” Amy whispered. “And where’s Ariel?” She frowned as she glanced back at the door wondering if the brunette might pop out and explain things to her as she usually did.

“A party, just a party,” the Doctor dismissed with a wave of his hand. “Erm, yes your Mum is here, actually, but she can’t come to the phone at the moment,” he sighed.

Amy’s eyes widened and she gestured to the fishbowl with the goldfish inside.  _ Is this his Mum?  _ She mouthed.

The Doctor didn’t respond, but rather focused on reassuring the Prince. “Well, she’s busy!” He exclaimed. “Well, you know, with the commonwealth,” he mumbled, shrugging awkwardly. 

The Doctor pressed the phone receiver to his chest once more as he knelt down to talk to the goldfish. “It’s your son, ma’am,” the Doctor whispered. “He wants to talk to you,” he said, holding out the phone to her as though she could speak to him. “But we can’t let him see you like this, or hear you,” the Doctor winced, placing the phone back against his chest. “Not that he could hear you, you’re a fish!” The Doctor cried, unsure of how things got so bad so fast.

The Tardis phone rang once again and the Doctor sighed in frustration. He really needed to get another phone in there so Ariel could help him with these calls. 

“Sorry, I’ve got another call coming in,” he apologized to the Prince before pressing a few buttons on the phone to switch calls. “Hello?” He prompted and his face fell at the sound of the angry screams on the other line. “There is not a good use in yelling Ambassador!” He exclaimed. “Your Warrior Chief is trapped in my Tardis and until you’ve turned Her Majesty here back into a human being,” he said, gently tickling the fishbowl where the Queen resided. “He’s staying put,” he snapped. “Don’t worry he’s perfectly, safe…,” he trailed off as his eyes fell on Ariel’s book with something squashed on the back.

His eyes inflated as he stared at it. “Just popping you on hold,” he mumbled and placed the phone to the side as he inspected. “What have you done?” The Doctor gasped as he held up the book with the squashed fly, or Warrior Chief, on the back.

Amy’s eyes grew wide as she realized what she had done. “I thought,” she began, her voice very childlike and innocent when she spoke. “I thought it was a fly.”

“So much for the slaughter of ten billion souls,” the Doctor sighed as he tossed the book behind him onto the floor.

“What is going on and where is Ariel?!” Amy exclaimed. “Don’t tell me she’s slept through all this.”

“I was at a party and there was a slight  _ incident _ ,” the Doctor winced.

“What, so you sneak out at night to parties all by yourself?” Amy scoffed. “Hold on, you’re dressed up,” she noticed with a small frown and the Doctor grinned as he straightened his bow tie at the observation. “You never dress up. Was Ariel at the party with you?” She smirked. 

The Doctor’s eyes widened and he paled considerably. “No, no, she’s sleeping,” he insisted.

“Don’t lie to me, Doctor,” Amy sighed. “Just don’t, you are rubbish at it.”

“No, no, Ariel and I do not sneak out to parties in the middle of the night!” He exclaimed. 

Right after he said that, Ariel ran inside the Tardis screaming. She donned a red dress and had many angry people screaming out after her.

“I get-I’m-,” she kept trying to speak but their angry shouts cut her off. “The Queen will be restored back to her normal self!” She yelled. “Leave me alone!” She snapped, slamming the door in their faces.

Ariel spun around and heaved a deep sigh as she glanced back at Amy and the Doctor. “I hate the commonwealth,” she muttered.

Amy turned to the Doctor with large eyes and an amused grin and the Doctor just groaned, knowing the redhead would now never let up the Doctor and Ariel’s midnight adventures she had just learned of. 

“Please, please, tell me we have a negotiation planned out with the Warrior Chief because I-,” she was cut off when she slid on a book on the ground. She glanced down with large eyes and picked up the book only to find the fly squashed against it to Amy’s embarrassment. 

Ariel held up the book and raised an almost exhausted brow at the pair who winced at the sight of it. 

“This is, this is just great,” she sighed. “First, River accidentally insults the Ambassador so he’s already ticked off,” she said.

“You were with River too?!” Amy laughed and the Doctor rolled his eyes.

“Then, the Ambassador decides to turn the Queen into a bloody fish after I tell him I won’t marry him since he knew she was my friend, then you kill the only leverage we’ve got with this bloody maniac!” Ariel shrieked. “Honestly,  don’t know what else I expected after the way this night’s been going,” she groaned.

“So, that’s what happened,” Amy moaned.

“Of course, that’s what happened,” Ariel frowned. “What did you tell her?” 

“I hadn’t got around to it, yet,” the Doctor sighed. He took the goldfish from Amy and marched down the steps. “Come on, we’ve got to try and get the Queen changed back without the Warrior Chief,” he said.

“Maybe, we can offer him the body of his Warrior Chief and an apology?” Ariel offered, holding up the book and frowning.

“Oh, River’ll hate it but it’s the best we got,” the Doctor nodded. “Let’s go.”

“Doctor,” Amy called from the top of the steps. She stared down at the pair of them with fear in her eyes as she walked down the steps. “I need to talk to you,” she sighed. “Both of you,” she said, nodding to Ariel. “There was a reason I couldn’t sleep,” she said. 

The Doctor and Ariel shared a wide eyed look.

“Rory!” The Doctor cried.

Amy jumped at the sound and frowned at the Doctor. “What are you doing?” She hissed. 

“You’ve got the serious face on,” the Doctor observed. “I always shout for Rory or Ariel when you’ve got the serious face. Rory, she’s having an emotion!” The Doctor cried.

Rory walked out and wrapped his robe around his pyjamas as he yawned. “What’s wrong, Amy?”

“Why are you calling him then?” Amy wondered seeing as Ariel was standing right beside the Doctor.

“It’s his turn,” Ariel shrugged and Rory’s eyes widened, wildly motioning for them to be quiet while the Doctor and Ariel turned to inspect the goldfish.

“You two,” Amy gasped, gesturing between Ariel and Rory. “You two have turns?!” She exclaimed. 

“No!” The Doctor bellowed. 

“Oh, my God,” Ariel panicked. “Oh, my God, we are so dead.”

“We’ve taken the wrong fish,” the Doctor breathed as he glanced back to Amy and Rory. 

Ariel darted over to the door and swung it open where luckily River had gotten the angry populace who had watched their Queen get turned into a fish to disperse. 

“River, we’ve got the wrong fish!” Ariel yelled.

“What?!” River exclaimed, marching back toward the Tardis with fury in her eyes.

“Also, the Warrior Chief is dead!” Ariel shouted. “It wasn’t my fault!” She insisted. “Though it was my book,” she winced as she stared down at the book cover. 

Ariel glanced back at Amy and Rory and smiled awkwardly before turning her focus to the Doctor. “We need to go back and fast,” she said before heading out of the Tardis to join River. 

“Er, right, yes, of course,” the Doctor nodded. “Sorry, you two, but we’ve got to run. We’ve got three hours to save the commonwealth.”

“What happens in three hours?” Rory asked, yawning at the Doctor.

“The pet shops open,” the Doctor winced before running outside to join a furious River and anxious Ariel.


	37. Good Night

The Doctor walked through the Tardis carrying a euphonium and whistling. He flung open the doors and Ariel grinned at him as he helped her inside. 

“Thanks for dropping her off again, River!” The Doctor called.

“Yeah, thanks, love!” Ariel grinned waving to her girlfriend who simply blew a kiss at the pair of them. 

“We’ll see you with Lancelot, and tell Marilyn she’s too late. She’ll have to take the biplane!” He exclaimed. “Take care!” He shouted before slamming the door shut.

Ariel pulled her 1950’s gloves off and tossed them onto the jumpseat as she pulled off her hat. “Right, I’m gonna grab a quick snack, take a nap, then we can go out again,” she said. 

The Doctor beamed down at her. “Brilliant,” he said. 

Ariel kissed him quickly and waved before turning to the steps only to be confronted by a confused Amy Pond. 

“Oh, bloody hell!” Ariel exclaimed, jumping back at the sight. “Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping?” She frowned. 

“Do you do this every night?” Amy asked. “Y’know, when we’re sleeping,” she nodded. “Do the pair of you just go out and have extra adventures?”

Ariel glanced back at the Doctor and the pair shared a shrug. “Most of the time, yeah,” Ariel confessed.

“I don’t sleep as much as you, I keep busy,” the Doctor nodded. 

“Okay, but what about you?” Amy frowned at Ariel. “‘You sleep as much as we do,” she reminded the girl.

“Yeah, but I have trouble sleeping most nights,” Ariel shrugged. “I get nightmares and while they’re nothing, it’s sort of hard for me to fall back asleep. My Mum always thought it was a form of insomnia,” she mumbled.

“So, you just travel with him when you wake up in the middle of the night?” Amy prompted. 

“Usually,” Ariel nodded. “We used to do it on occasion before we started dating, but after we kept doing it more and more and now it’s like our own little routine,” she said, smiling back at the Doctor who grinned.

“And where do you go?” Amy wondered. “And don’t lie,” she sighed. “You’re my friend,” she told the girl. “My  _ best _ friend, so tell me what it is you do.”

Ariel glanced back at the Doctor and smiled. “Well, sometimes I take naps in between trips if the journey wears me out, but we just helped out a possessed orchestra on a moonbase, prevented two supernovas, and did a bit of local work in Brixton,” she sighed.

“Lovely practice,” the Doctor nodded. “Very short staffed,” he remarked. 

“Yeah,” Ariel hummed, turning back to him with a frown. 

“I also wrote a history of the universe all in jokes while she took a nap,” the Doctor added with a nod. 

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need another one,” Ariel sighed. “The possessed orchestra was fun, but dealing with Marilyn and River all at once got my head in a twist,” she said and the Doctor chuckled as she groaned.

Amy moved to the side so Ariel could head back up to hers and the Doctor’s bedroom. 

Amy sighed softly and hung her head once the brunette was gone.

“What’s wrong?” The Doctor frowned. 

“Ariel’s told me about the other people you two traveled with. The other people that were your best friends and I know you and her are getting married so she’s going to be a big piece of your life, but all the rest of us are such tiny parts of you life, aren’t we?” Amy sighed. “All the other friends you make just flicker in and out,” she shrugged. “You must hardly notice us.”

“Amy, you are enormous parts of my life,” the Doctor assured her. “Of both our lives,” he nodded. “Sure, Ariel feels more important to be because she’s going to be my wife, but that doesn’t make you nothing. She’s able to keep up with the life I lead, but the end of the day you lot are all we ever remember.”

Amy smiled and glanced down at the ground before sighing softly. “Speaking of which,” she mumbled. 

The Doctor glanced at her with a small frown and Amy took a shaky breath. “My life doesn’t make any sense.”

“I know,” the Doctor muttered. 

“That’s what I’ve been trying to talk to you about,” Amy sighed. “You and Ariel,” she said, glancing back at the corridor Ariel had left to go to bed.

She was stressed and as much as she loved talking to Rory and working things out with him, she didn’t carry the same connection with her husband that she did with the Doctor and Ariel.

They were her best friends, especially Ariel. She felt like she could tell them anything and they would make jokes or advise her or just help her when she needed it most. 

They were her childhood friends and Amy had no idea what she’d do without them. 

“I know,” the Doctor nodded, smiling softly at Amy.

“Like when I first met the pair of you, I didn’t have parents. I’d never had parents,” Amy said. “Then you did whatever it is you did to save Ariel’s life, and all of a sudden I had parents,” she breathed. “I’d always had parents,” she nodded. “And I can remember both lives in my head, both of them in my head at the same time.”

“And it’s fine, isn’t it?” The Doctor prompted. 

“Yeah, but it shouldn’t be,” Amy sighed. “Why is it fine?”

“Rory was a Roman for two thousand years,” the Doctor reminded her. 

“He says he hardly remembers it,” Amy scoffed.

“Ah, but sometimes you catch him just staring,” the Doctor hummed. “There was a day in the library Ariel said she caught him mumbling. His mind was overloaded with all the memories still trying to be processed by his head. Two thousand years worth of memories pulling at the human mind.”

“He didn’t tell me that,” Amy frowned. 

“He probably doesn’t remember it himself,” the Doctor shrugged. “Or doesn’t know what to think of it. He’s told Ariel quite a few times just that when she asked him about it.”

“So?” Amy prompted.

“The thing is, Amy, everyone’s memory is a mess,” the Doctor sighed. “Life is a mess,” he chuckled. “Everyone’s got memories of a holiday they couldn’t have been on or a party they never went to,” he said. “Besides, have you ever asked Ariel how she could know everything about the life of a Time Lord over a thousand years old?” He prompted with a raised brow.

“No,” Amy frowned. “What, she knows everything?”

“Every little detail,” the Doctor nodded. 

“I thought she was just generalizing. Like she knew most of it, but you hadn’t really gone into specifics,” Amy mumbled.

“She knows it all,” the Doctor sighed. “Because she’s known me all her life,” the Doctor informed Amy. “She’s known me ever since she was eleven months old, and she knows that. But she also knows that before she met me walking into the side of my Tardis she had never seen me a day before in her life.”

“She has different memories as well?” Amy asked.

“Two different sets of life,” the Doctor nodded. “I only went back in time and saw her when she was younger because I met her on that street corner three years ago. The only way that paradox can survive is with two different sets of memories.”

“I never knew she had that,” Amy mumbled.

“Course she does,” the Doctor smiled. “But she accepted it,” he shrugged. “Because she has to. Because time is being rewritten all around us. Every day. People think their memories are bad but their memories are fine,” the Doctor hummed. “The past really is like that.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Amy sighed. 

“Ah, now you’re getting it,” the Doctor chuckled. He spun around to the console and gestured to a small slot. “Put your hand here,” he instructed.

“What is it?” Amy asked. 

“Tardis telepathic circuits,” the Doctor explained.

Amy sighed softly and stuck her hand in the slot. “What do I do?” She asked.

“Nothing, just relax,” the Doctor hummed. He fiddled with a few controls before spinning around to the scanner. “Your saddest ever memory was in a fairground in 1994, can you remember why?”

“No,” Amy responded automatically. Her face fell into a frown as the memory began to fade into her mind. “Hang on,” Amy muttered. “Did I, did I drop an ice cream,” she nearly laughed. “That can’t be my saddest memory,” she scoffed.

“Remembering ice cream is always sad,” the Doctor shrugged.

With a soft wheezing and a thud, Amy frowned. “Did we just land? Where are we?”

“What happened after you dropped your ice cream?” The Doctor asked.

“Nothing,” Amy shook her head. “I-I cried.”

The Doctor raised an eyebrow at her, imploring her to dig deeper into the memory. 

“No, no,” Amy mumbled with a small frown as she remembered another event. “Hang on, there was a lady and she bought me another one,” she sighed, a tiny bit put out that her saddest memory was crying over ice cream for a few minutes before getting a new one. She felt a bit spoiled, to say the least.

“Oh, good for her,” the Doctor hummed. “What did she look like?”

“She looked like, she, she had a funny dress. A nightdress,” she remembered with a giggle. “And she had red hair,” she said and glanced down only to realize her nightie was exactly like the one the woman from her memory wore. Amy sighed softly and nearly rolled her eyes. “Doctor,” Amy mumbled. “I don’t understand. Why are you doing this? What is the point?”

“The nice lady,” the Doctor prompted. “What did she say to you?”

“‘Cheer up, have an ice cream’,” Amy nearly spat at him now that she knew she was the nice lady.

The Doctor shrugged, smiling as though that was the answer to all her problems. “Amy, time and space is never ever going to make any kind of sense,” he promised. “A long time ago, you got the best possible advice on how to deal with that,” he grinned. He opened the doors to the Tardis and beamed out at the fairground. “So, I suggest you go and give it.”

“Okay,” Amy sighed as she marched down the steps to the front doors of the Tardis. “Okay, so I ask you a big important question about life and you’re basically telling me to go and buy myself ice cream,” she hummed.

“No, I’m telling you to go and buy us both ice cream,” the Doctor chuckled.

Just then, Ariel came marching down the steps in a large sweatshirt and sweatpants. “What time zone is this?” Ariel mumbled, combing her fingers through her now long and wavy brown hair.

“Correction, I’m telling you to buy all three of us ice cream,” the Doctor amended with a grin. “I love fairgrounds,” he sighed. 

“What?” Ariel frowned. “We’re at a fairground?”

“I hate you,” Amy moaned.

“No, you don’t,” the Doctor smiled. “Come on,” he said, pulling Ariel to his side and wrapping his arm around her. “I get a bit scared on ghost trains so is it okay if I hold your hand?” He asked his fiancé.

Ariel giggled and shook her head. “Oh, Doctor,” she sighed. “Of course, it’s okay,” she smiled.

The Doctor beamed at her and together they all headed out to spend what was left of their night at the fairgrounds.


	38. The Invitations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, this is all being uploaded the day of the royal wedding because Ariel's own love and interest in the royal line originates from a personal love

Three weeks later after the Doctor and Ariel had dropped Amy and Rory back at home so they could assure their families that they had not gone missing, invitations arrived in the mail.

“Rory!” Amy called as she pulled out the two Tardis blue envelopes with a smile. “They’re here! It’s time!”

“Time for what?!” Rory exclaimed. “I’m in the shower!”

“Oh, you big idiot, the invitations are here,” Amy moaned. “To the Doctor and Ariel’s wedding?”

“They’re having it on this planet?” Rory frowned. 

“In this time period too,” Amy nodded. “Ariel said she didn’t want everybody to have to come by Tardis,” she chuckled.

“Fair enough,” Rory shrugged. “When is it?”

“Ah, January 30th, in Paris,” Amy hummed.

“Paris?!” Rory exclaimed.

“Right outside the Eiffel Tower,” Amy mumbled. “Blimey, they’re in good with everybody it seems.”

~~~

Back in Cardiff, Jack Harkness and Gwen Cooper were receiving the same invitations. 

Gwen beamed at the special slip in her envelope that said she got to be a bridesmaid. 

“Oh, of course they’d do it in Paris,” Jack moaned. “This had Ariel written all over it,” he chuckled. “I’ll bet you the Doctor wanted to go to some alien planet but bless this girl’s soul she didn’t make us all cram into that Tardis.”

“I thought it was infinite,” Gwen frowned.

“Oh, it is, but the Doctor still tries to put everyone in the console room and it was a tight enough fit back with the Daleks,” Jack sighed. “Still, this says we can bring the rest of the Torchwood team if we want,” he said, smiling at a small handwritten letter from Ariel inside his envelope. 

“Would they want to come?” Gwen wondered. “They don’t even know the Doctor and Ariel.”

“No, but I’m sure Ariel would love Rex,” Jack hummed. “Come on, we’d better figure out a flight if we’re gonna actually get there.”

“Right,” Gwen nodded. “I’ll have to call Rhys and let him know. Thank God, it’s on a Saturday,” she sighed. “I’ve always hated weddings on weekdays.”

“Yeah, the Doctor doesn’t like to land on any other day,” Jack shrugged. “Says it’s boring.”

“I’ll bet he does,” Gwen chuckled. 

~~~

At 13 Bannerman Road, Sarah Jane Smith smiled as she read the small handwritten note telling her she was more than welcome to bring as many as she pleased. 

Whether that was just Clyde, Rani, and Luke or anyone else was entirely up to her. 

Sarah Jane sat down beside the computer screen to inform Luke of the good news. 

“I got one too,” Luke grinned as he held up the invitation to the camera. “I can’t believe it’s in Paris though,” he frowned.

“I’ll pick you up from school so you can go,” Sarah Jane assured him with a nod. “Did you tell the others yet?”

“Clyde,” Luke nodded. “Not Rani. Though Clyde said he can’t wait. He was hoping that when he saw the ring on Ariel’s finger she’d invite him.”

“Wonderful,” Sarah Jane smiled. “I’ll let Rani know. Ariel said we could invite anybody else so long as we tell her how many, so Rani may want to invite her father.”

“Yeah, good thinking,” Luke nodded. “I suppose I should pick out a suit,” he frowned.

Sarah Jane chuckled softly and shook her head. “You don’t need to worry. I’ll help you out with that bit.”

~~~

In Chiswick, Wilfred Mott’s eyes widened as he spotted an envelope of a familiar shade. “Oi,” he called out to his granddaughter Donna Noble. “When did that come in?” He asked, pointing to the envelope.

“Just today,” Donna shrugged. “Why?” She frowned.

“No reason,” Wilf shook his head. He grinned as he snatched it open and tore at the envelope furiously to get it open. 

He grinned as he pulled out a small invitation inside. “Oh, I just knew,” he chuckled, shaking his head at the invitation. “I just knew you two would come back someday.”

“What’s that Gramps?” Donna called.

“Wha-Oh, nothing sweetheart!” Wilf dismissed with a wave of his hand, his eyes still focused on the invitation. “Tell you what, could you go and get your mother for me?” He requested. “There’s something I need to show her,” he mumbled.

“Alright,” Donna nodded and headed out to do just that. 

Wilf frowned as he spotted the location. “Now how am I going to get to Paris?” He wondered. 

He placed the envelope on his lap and his eyes widened when he saw a small pristinely folded handwritten note inside. 

He fished it out immediately and grinned when he spotted the handwriting of none other than Ariel Parsons. 

_ Hello old friend, _

_ It’s been a long time hasn’t it? I bet you thought we were gone for good when the Doctor said his goodbyes.  _

_ You can’t get rid of us that easy. _

_ Now, I know you may be debating what to do with this invitation. For instance, I’m certain my old redhaired friend is close by risking reading this. If I’m honest, I debated what to do about it myself. _

_ You see, the Doctor has changed faces, so I genuinely began to wonder if it would at all be possible for her to come. She was my first real friend after all.  _

_ But after many  _ **_many_ ** _ arguments with the Doctor, I have finally come to terms with the fact that sadly she cannot come. However, this invitation is more than extended for your daughter. Though, even if she can’t come. We hope to see you there. The Doctor would love to have you as one of his groomsmen. _

_ Now, as far as transport is concerned. We are well aware that Paris is not in the budget of many. So, the Doctor has offered up the Tardis and guest rooms in it for anybody that wants to come but cannot afford the trip or hotel stay. _

_ Don’t worry. I’ve done my best to clean up as many as possible. _

_ If you wish to have the Tardis pick you up, you need only call my number on the invitation and let me know. We’ll be more than happy to see your face early. _

_ Until then, _

_ Ariel Parsons _

Wilf chuckled softly and shook his head at the letter. “You’ve thought of it all, haven’t you?”

“Dad,” Sylvia sighed as she marched into the room. “What is it? I was just fixing to do the laundry.”

Wilf smiled as he held up the invitation. “We’re going to a wedding, my love,” he said and Sylvia’s eyes grew wide.

~~~

In London, Martha Jones held a bouncing one year old in her arms as she rifled through the mail.

Her heart stopped when she spotted the Tardis blue envelope. “Mickey,” Martha breathed. 

Mickey placed the dinner in the oven before looking up and raising a curious brow at his wife. “What is-?” His face fell when he saw the envelope. “That’s not possible,” he mumbled.

Martha just chuckled and shook her head as she opened the envelope. “I knew there’d be a day when we heard from him again,” she insisted. “I knew that day with the Sontarans wasn’t the last of it.”

Martha smiled as she peeled out the invitation. “They’re finally getting married,” she beamed.

A small slip of paper fell out of the envelope and she grinned.

_ You have been invited to be a bridesmaid of Ariel Parsons. _

“And I’m going to be a bridesmaid!” She exclaimed, holding up the paper.

“Oi, how do you know that’s not for me?” Mickey frowned and Martha chuckled as he picked up the paper and read it.

“Because your invitation is right here,” she sighed as she picked up another blue envelope and passed it to him. “They sent us two in case we’d like to bring another guest,” she said, looking pointedly down at their daughter. 

“Always planning ahead these two,” Mickey chuckled. “Where is it?”

“Paris,” Martha answered as she walked  over to their computer and typed in the forecast. “They chose a day when just enough snow will have fallen,” she smiled. 

“Of course they would have,” Mickey grinned. 

~~~

“Doctor River Song,” one of the guards called. “You’ve got a letter.”

River jumped up and the guard slid a Tardis blue envelope through the bars of her cell.

River grinned at the very sight as she opened the letter and found an invitation to the very wedding she had been waiting years to coincide with.

“Ah, Paris,” River hummed. “So, you did choose that after all,” she smiled. 

Throughout her timeline, Ariel had been hesitant to tell River when and where she married the Doctor in the concern that the woman might go there early. 

Though the brunette never claimed spoilers often with her, this was one of the few instances where she would not let up no matter how hard River pressed, and so River was left with only one option: waiting. 

She looked through the invitation to work out the exact date and coordinates before taking a deep breath and looked up at the bars of her cell.

Just how would she break out this time? 

~~~

Meanwhile, on the Tardis, Ariel walked in with a stack of six dresses and no idea where she was walking.

“Do you need help with that?” The Doctor chuckled as he walked into the console room.

“No,” Ariel groaned as she shuffled the dresses in her hands. “Because one of these is my wedding dress and though it’s covered I don’t wanna risk it.”

“Oh, you don’t really believe in that do you?” The Doctor frowned.

Ariel peered over the top of the dresses and raised a brow at the Doctor. “Have you met us?” She chuckled. “I don’t wanna risk it. I don’t wanna be like Gwen Cooper and get accidentally pregnant with some alien baby on my wedding day.”

“Blimey!” The Doctor laughed. “That would have been a sight!”

“Yeah, not for the woman who had to get a new wedding dress, on her wedding day,” Ariel reminded him. “I’m not gonna ask Alexander McQueen to design a whole new dress because I’m fairly certain at this point he wants to throttle me with all the changes I’ve made.”

“And the poorly drawn sketches,” the Doctor chuckled. 

“Oi!” Ariel snapped. “So, I had to get a bunch of other designers to sketch the dresses just so Alexander could know what to work with,” she muttered. “That just shows I’m committed to getting the right design,” she insisted. 

Ariel headed up the steps and the Doctor just laughed as he had to guide her up each step because she couldn’t actually see where she was going with all the dresses.

“Oh, by the way, I sent out the invitations, so if the phone rings-,” Ariel began, only to be cut off by the Tardis phone ringing. “Yeah,” she shrugged.

“Did you send them out through history too?” The Doctor asked as he headed down the steps to answer the phone. 

“Not yet,” Ariel shook her head. “Alexander got an invite but that’s only because he looked ready to murder me if he didn’t see his dress walk down the aisle.”

The Doctor chuckled softly as Ariel went up the last few steps and went to the guest rooms to place the bridesmaid dresses.

“Hello, the Tardis!” The Doctor exclaimed. “Yes, your Majesty,” he nodded. “Could you please hold for a moment?”

The Doctor placed the phone receiver to his chest. “Ariel! Which Queen did you invite?”

“The current one!” Ariel called. “She talked to Alexander for me so I wouldn’t have to pay for the dresses so long as I invited her!”

“And the royal family?”

“I gave her five invites I think!” Ariel replied.

The Doctor pressed the phone to his ear. “Yes, yes, we’d be delighted if you could come,” he sighed. “No, no, I can assure you there  _ won’t _ be any press,” he said, pacing around the console room. “Your grandsons want to bring their dates? Well, who are they?” He asked, pulling out a pad of paper. “Catherine and Chelsy? Alright, one moment.”

Ariel headed down the steps of the Tardis as the Doctor placed the phone receiver on his chest once more.

“The Princes want to bring their dates. Catherine and Chelsy?” He prompted.

“Yes, to Catherine. No, to Chelsy,” Ariel nodded, multitasking as she headed to the jumpseat and picked up the small pile of invitations left. “I still have to get an invite to Frank,” she groaned.

“Alright, your Majesty. Tell William he can bring her but Harry is out of luck, I’m afraid. No, no, no, don’t blame me. Ariel made the decision,” the Doctor insisted.

Ariel huffed and walked over with the large binder on one arm. She dropped the invitations down on the console and grabbed the phone.

“Listen, your Majesty, I-no, no, no it’s not because I despise Harry!” Ariel exclaimed. “No, don’t get mad at me. I’m only doing this because I saw your grandson’s future!” She assured the woman. “He’s not a terrible person and I’m sure Chelsy is a lovely girl, but I know who he ends up with. This is me trying to help him,” she assured the Queen. “Oh, you don’t want to bring the news to him, he doesn’t have to come,” she snapped and slammed the phone back down.

“Have you hung up on a lot of royalty while I’m not here?” The Doctor frowned. 

“Just Prince Charles,” Ariel shrugged. “Y’know I’m obsessed with royalty I was bound to do that at some point,” she giggled.

“Alright then,” the Doctor smiled. “We’ll need to arrange transport for the royal family since they don’t want press.”

“Already sorted,” Ariel shrugged. “I can’t get every guest room clean but I’ve got most of them done,” she smiled and nodded. 

Right after she said that, a group of people walked down the steps in uniforms with cleaning materials. 

Contrary to her words, she had hired a cleaning service to get the guest rooms ready. 

“Alright, the first three corridors are done,” one announced.

The Doctor turned to Ariel with large eyes and Ariel winced. 

“What can I say?” Ariel moaned. “I hate cleaning,” she shrugged.  

The Doctor chuckled and shook his head. “Right then, what year are you lot from?” He said as he pulled the scanner to him and began fiddling with the controls.


	39. Paris

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy royal wedding day! This should be like an excused national holiday. I know it's Saturday so it doesn't really matter but honestly.

 

Their next few adventures, despite the near wedding date, had nothing to do with the plans.

They visited a hospital in 2011 Leeds to entrap an alien earworm called the Harmonelid. They took a trip to the picnic planet of Floriosophon Fidestra, where they followed a distress signal, only to discover that it was a trap set by an alien creature, and joined four teenage aliens on a camping trip to the third moon of Callicial, where they encountered the ghosts of TV characters, including footballers, singers, knights and dancers.

The Doctor discovered a stranded Skaratid creature was hunting humans and gold in 19th century California, and caused the Skaratid to explode after tricking it into eating dynamite, and saved Cleopatra from a Gold Assassin from the Court of Xones.

The Doctor and Ariel next returned a Heyvaalay to its own dimension in 1985 San Francisco, and stopped Ellis the Illusionist's plot to hold Hoolak's Pier on Arriman B ransom for 1 million credits, instead getting him his old job at the pier back.

Eventually, they did go to Paris but only after several voicemails from River and a very angry phone call from Amy Pond when they had both arrived in Paris and the pair were nowhere to be found. 

The Doctor dropped Ariel off and went to go get the others who had asked for transport. 

“There you are!” Amy exclaimed. 

She, Rory, and River had already arrived and were bundled up outside the hotel they had rented out in its entirety thanks to special order of the French Prime Minister.

“Here I am!” Ariel grinned. 

“People start getting here in a few hours, where were you?” Rory wondered.

“Long story,” Ariel winced. “Let’s just say the Doctor and I were stopping this magician bloke from holding a pier hostage.”

“Ellis the Illusionist?” River guessed with a smile.

“Yeah,” Ariel sighed.

“How do you hold a pier hostage?” Rory muttered with a small frown.

“Never mind that, we need to get you inside!” Amy snapped. “Where are the other bridesmaids?!” She exclaimed.

“Getting changed,” Ariel shrugged as they rushed inside the hotel. 

“Ugh, slackers,” Amy moaned.

They rushed up to Ariel’s room in the hotel and Amy ran to the curtains, pushing them back in almost anger so they could see the Eiffel Tower outside. 

River sat Ariel down in the seat and Rory headed out to wait for the wedding planner and help her set up decorations, upon Amy’s yelled command.

“What on Earth are you wearing?” Amy moaned as she pulled the bun out of Ariel’s hair. 

She had on a huge blue shirt that engulfed her frame, some jeans and a grey jumper.

“What? It was fine for reading in the library and you lot didn’t exactly give me much time to change,” Ariel sighed. 

“Never mind that,” River said. “We’ll take care of you,” she assured the girl. “Let’s see this dress shall we?” She prompted.

River stood up and took the dress Ariel had darted out of the Tardis holding. She lifted up the cover and grinned.

Underneath was a strapless dropped waist ball gown with a small tiara on the very top. 

“Oh, it’s perfect,” River hummed. “You’ll look lovely dear.”

“Thank you,” Ariel grinned. “I was so excited when I first saw it completed. I just-I can’t wait.”

“It’s going to be brilliant,” Amy nodded. “Now how to do want to do your hair?” She asked holding up a straightener in one hand and a curler in another.

Ariel chuckled softly and narrowed her eyes. “Erm, curled.”

“Up or down?” Amy prompted as she put the straightener to the side. 

“Down,” Ariel smiled. “But don’t curl it too much. I hate wearing big curls.”

“Right then,” Amy sighed, “Let’s get started.” She pulled out a comb and began brushing through Ariel’s hair.

As she did so, River headed downstairs to pick up their bridesmaid dresses for them.

When Amy had gotten halfway through curling Ariel’s hair, there was a knock on the door.

“Unless you’re the Doctor, I don’t give a shite if you walk in!” Ariel called. 

“Well, I have missed this,” Martha hummed as she walked inside. She donned her bridesmaid dress and beamed at the brunette. The bridesmaid dresses were scooped neck chiffon tulle pearl detailing floor-length dresses and they looked beautiful.

Ariel laughed loudly and grinned at her friend. “Oh, I’d love to get up and hug you but I have an angry Scottish woman who will burn my neck if I move.”

“Oh, don’t you know it,” Amy hummed. 

“Ah, that’s alright,” Martha smiled. She walked over and pulled Ariel into a tight hug while the girl sat. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you too,” Ariel nodded. “The Doctor told me you got married, and,” she cut herself off when she spotted the ring on Martha’s finger. “Oh, it’s lovely!” She exclaimed.

“I’ve got a little girl now too,” Martha nodded. “Franny,” she said.

“Oh, that’s adorable,” Ariel grinned. “Did you bring her?”

“Yeah,” Martha said. “She’s with Mickey right now. Oh, you’re gonna love her too. She’s a brilliant kid. Hardly ever cried.”

“Blimey, you got lucky,” Ariel hummed.

“I reckon I did,” Martha chuckled. She looked up at Martha and held up a hand to shake. “Hi, I’m Martha,” she introduced.

“Amy,” the redhead smiled and nodded, pausing for a moment as she curled Ariel’s hair to shake the woman’s hand quickly.

“Pleasure,” Martha grinned. “I take it you’re the Chief Bridesmaid,” she guessed as she noticed how strict the girl was being with getting Ariel ready.

“Yep, and I’m taking this job seriously so can one of you run down and get my bridesmaid dress for me?” Amy asked the women.

“River’s already going,” Ariel assured her. “She told me just before she left.”

“Who’s River?” Martha frowned.

“My girlfriend,” Ariel answered and Martha’s eyes widened. “Oh, I know,” she laughed. “She’s dating both me and the Doctor,” she explained.

“Why am I not surprised,” Martha sighed. “But why isn’t she the Chief Bridesmaid then?”

“I don’t really know her that well yet,” Ariel shrugged. “Different timelines and all. But I told her she doesn’t have to make me Chief Bridesmaid when her day comes so she won’t think I’m expecting something out of nothing.”

“Right,” Martha nodded. She glanced over at the bed and her eyes widened when she spotted the wedding dress laid out. “Is this is?” She gasped.

“No, I just keep white ball gowns around me at all times,” Ariel chuckled sarcastically and Martha laughed and rolled her eyes at the girl.

“It’s beautiful,” Martha breathed. 

“Thanks,” Ariel smiled. “I’d like to take all the credit but I had like an army of people working on it,” she shrugged. 

“And she just won’t let up about Alexander McQueen being the designer,” Amy moaned. 

“Oi, he’s bloody brilliant,” Ariel snapped. “Granted, I pestered him day and night about it so I’m pretty sure he hates me at this point but I’m okay with that.”

“Oh, you just seem to know how to get on the bad side of all the best people in history, don’t you?” Martha laughed. 

“In my defense, there a lot less people out there that hate me than the Doctor,” Ariel reasoned.

“She’s got a point,” Amy shrugged and Martha just laughed. 

There was a quick knock on the door and River walked in with two dresses. “I’ve got the dresses,” she announced with a smile. “Thankfully, they’re not hideous.”

Ariel laughed. “Did you all think I was just going to force you into horrid bridesmaid dresses for my own amusement?” She scoffed.

“Yes,” the three women chorused and Ariel snorted. 

“I’d never do that!” Ariel exclaimed.

“Well, regardless, I need to get dressed,” Amy sighed. “Martha, do you mind taking over?” She prompted, holding up the curler to the woman.

“Sure,” Martha nodded.

“Thanks,” Amy smiled. She passed on the curler and headed out with River to put on her dress.

“Thanks for picking me out as a bridesmaid, by the way,” Martha sighed. “I don’t think I’ve ever been a bridesmaid before.”

“Really?” Ariel frowned. “Not even with Tish?”

“Tish couldn’t hold onto a man long enough to get married,” Martha laughed. “She was my Chief Bridesmaid, but no, she hasn’t gotten married yet.”

“Ah, well, it is my pleasure Martha Jones,” Ariel smiled. “After Donna I figured I’d need an old friendly face today.”

“Well, I’m happy to be here,” Martha nodded. 

There was a soft knock on the door and Ariel groaned. “I suppose I’m going to have to be yelling at that door all day,” she sighed. “You can come in!” She shouted. 

The door creaked open and Ariel glanced at Martha in the vanity mirror before her. “I suppose I should just hand a sign on the door that says ‘if you’re not the Doctor I don’t care if you walk in’ to save my breath,” she proposed and Martha laughed as she imagined people coming across that.

“Hello, bride to be!” Gwen exclaimed and Ariel laughed in delight at the sight of the woman. Like Martha, Gwen already wore the bridesmaid dress and in her hands she carried the bouquet with blue hydrangeas inside it. 

“Gwen!” Ariel exclaimed. She held out her arms and Gwen rushed over to her hugging her tightly where she sat. “Is Jack here as well?” She asked.

“Yes, and we brought the new members of torchwood for you to meet,” Gwen nodded. “Jack and them are helping your poor wedding planner with the decorations right now. It started snowing, but thankfully it was only light.”

“Yeah, the Doctor checked the weather forecasts of all the Saturdays this month when I suggested getting married in January,” she laughed. 

“That’s what Jack thought,” Gwen chuckled. “He said he wouldn’t miss a trick on this day so it could be as special as possible for you.”

Ariel simply grinned. “Did you say you brought the new members of Torchwood?”

“Yep,” Gwen nodded. “Esther and Rex. They were a bit hesitant at first since you’ve never met but after a bit of convincing from Jack they decided to come.”

“Wonderful,” Ariel smiled.

“Hi, I’m Gwen, by the way,” Gwen introduced herself, holding out a hand to Martha. 

“Martha Jones,” Martha nodded and shook the woman’s hand. “I remember you. You were in Torchwood when the Daleks came to Earth.”

“Ah, yes, I think I remember seeing you when the Doctor called us,” Gwen frowned and nodded. 

“Where’s Rhys?” Ariel asked. “Did he want to come?”

“Oh, yes, he came,” Gwen nodded. “We’ve also brought our daughter Anwen,” she smiled.

“Blimey, it seems like everyone’s having kids,” Ariel chuckled. “But congratulations,” she sighed. “Did Jack bring his daughter and grandson?”

“Hold on, you knew he had a kid?!” Gwen exclaimed.

“Of course, I did,” Ariel scoffed. “I mean naturally I had assumed it when he told me he had waited on Earth for the Doctor since, what was it, the nineteenth century?” She guessed. “But when I brought it up to Jack, he told me one of his kids was still living and she had a baby boy.”

“Not anymore,” Gwen mumbled, hanging her head at the memory.

“What?” Ariel frowned. She twisted her head only to have Martha turned her forcibly back.

“Oi, head straight,” Martha snapped. “But seriously Jack had a kid?” She frowned.

“How is this not more common knowledge?” Ariel moaned. “I mean seriously, have you seen the bloke?!” She exclaimed. “But never mind that, what happened to his grandson?”

“It was just before you visited after your fight with the Doctor. Around the same time Ianto died actually,” Gwen muttered.

“Are you seriously telling my Jack Harkness lost his boyfriend and his grandson within the same timeframe?” Ariel breathed.

“Blimey, that man has been through too much,” Martha mumbled, shaking her head in almost disappointment at the universe for all it had done to her friend.

“Yeah,” Gwen nodded. “We had to sacrifice his grandson to save the children of Earth from this alien species. He was the one who had to physically do it and stop his daughter from stopping him. It was heartbreaking, the whole thing,” she sighed.

“So, Jack and his daughter wouldn’t be on good terms then?” Ariel guessed.

“I doubt she’ll be speaking to him for years to come,” Gwen agreed. “It was just too much.”

“Damn, I should go and talk to him before this thing starts,” Martha mumbled. “I had no idea.”

“Neither did I and I visited him right after it happened,” Ariel frowned.

“It’s not your fault,” Gwen assured the woman. “He didn’t exactly feel up to talking about it then. After Ianto I doubt he even wanted to mention his daughter,” she sighed.

“Yeah, I’ll bet,” Ariel nodded. 

However, before they could dwell on it, Amy and River headed back inside and smiled at Gwen and Martha, quickly doing their introductions.

Martha finished curling Ariel’s hair and with that, they headed onto the makeup. 

“Can we get Jack in here for the makeup?” Ariel requested. “He’s actually really good at it.”

“You’re damn right he is,” Gwen chuckled. “He’s the one who did my makeup on my wedding day.”

“I’ll get him for you,” River nodded. 

“Hold on, you know Jack Harkness?” Ariel frowned.

“Oh, we’ve met on quite a few occasions,” River smirked. 

Ariel glanced around wildly between Amy and Gwen, both of whom shook their heads in clear confusion, unaware of any such meetings. 

“When?!” Ariel exclaimed. 

“Spoilers,” River hummed. “But is there anybody else you want up here while I’m out?” She asked. 

“Actually can you call Rory up?” Amy requested. “I need to talk to him before the Doctor gets back.”

“Right,” River nodded. 

She headed out and brought back Jack and Rory within a few minutes as well as a fresh batch of Chocolate Profiteroles for Ariel to snack on while she went through the preparation process. Some of the foods were already being set up in the dining hall of the hotel

Ariel yelped at the sight and immediately indulged in one while Jack reunited with Martha. 

River laughed and shook her head at her girlfriend. “I knew you enjoyed them and I could help but pick up a few for you since you’d be stuck up here for hours still.”

Ariel giggled and pulled River into a tight hug. “Thanks River.”

“Where’s my blushing bride?!” Jack exclaimed.

Ariel laughed happily and dove into his arms as he hugged her tightly. “Ah, I’ve missed you,” he hummed. 

“I’ve missed you too,” Ariel grinned. “We really need to visit more often.”

“Oh, psh,” Jack dismissed with a wave of his hand. “One call a week is enough just to tell me you’re still alive.”

“Yeah, but I wanna see the Hub again,” Ariel whined. “Apart from the Tardis that place is my second home.”

“It’s still going to be there whether you’re gone a few weeks or a few years,” he promised. 

Ariel just grinned up at him. “How’s Myfanwy?” She asked, referring to the large female pterodactyl they had flying around the Hub.

“Better than ever,” Jack nodded. “But never mind that,” he sighed. “I hear you need a makeup artist?” He smiled. 

“I’ve been missing your stellar makeup skills,” Ariel nodded. 

“Well, let’s get started then shall we?” Jack prompted. He clapped his hands together and Ariel grinned as she sat down so he could do her makeup. 

He pulled out the makeup and  kneeled before her. “Can someone pull her hair out of her face?” Jack requested. “It looks lovely, don’t get me wrong, but I’m not going to risk getting this liquid liner on some stray strands.”

“On it,”’ Amy announced. She pulled Ariel’s hair back carefully and placed pins in her hair so it wouldn’t fall out of her face. 

“Wow, Jack,” Martha frowned. “I never knew you were so good with makeup,” she remarked as she watched him delicately work on Ariel’s face. 

“You got it, love,” Jack smirked. “I took a couple classes around here actually near the seventeenth century and came back around the twentieth for a refresher.”

“My kind of man,” Amy hummed and Rory turned to her with large eyes.

“Sorry, what?” Rory prompted. 

“Oh, relax,” Amy chuckled. “I’m only joking,” she assured him.

Jack glanced over and Ariel snorted as she saw his eyes widen at the sight of Rory. 

“‘Scuse me, Ariel,” Jack mumbled and Ariel snickered. 

“Oh, here we go,” Ariel sighed. 

“Hi, I don’t believe we’ve met,” Jack smiled at the couple. “Captain Jack Harkness,” he introduced himself and Amy’s jaw dropped as his outstretched hand immediately moved to Rory who’s eyes practically inflated at the sight. “And you are?”

“He’s married!” Amy snapped, shoving Rory away before he could shake Jack’s hand.

Ariel laughed and shook her head at the Time Agent. “Get over here and do my makeup you big idiot,” she sighed. 

Jack just appeared as put out as he usually did with the Doctor turned down his endless advances on everything living creature in the universe. 

“Amy, I’d suggest taking Rory back downstairs and being the scary strict Chief Bridesmaid I adore with the decorations,” Ariel offered the fuming redhead.

“Fine,” Amy mumbled. “Come on, Rory,” she said. 

She looped her arm through her husband, but Rory just glanced back at Jack with a small frown.

“I-I’m Rory,” Rory called and Jack smirked as he was practically torn out of the room. 

“You just had to, didn’t you?” Ariel sighed. 

“You know it,” Jack smirked. 

“Of course, the wedding ring on his finger had only been an invitation for Jack to act,” Gwen chuckled.

“Seems like it,” Ariel laughed. 

“Right then, I’m gonna go downstairs and pick up out bouquets,” Martha announced. “I reckon the decorations are coming to a finish now,” she shrugged.

“Last I saw they had gotten all the seats out and decorated,” Jack shrugged. “As for the rest of it I couldn’t say.”

“Brilliant,” Martha sighed. “That means Mickey is going to pull me onto decorating,” she moaned. 

“Good luck,” Gwen chuckled.

“I’ll need it,” Martha nodded. She headed out. 

“Actually, I should probably check on Rhys and Anwen,” Gwen frowned. “No doubt, he’s been pulled into decorating as well.”

“If my wedding planner has had any say in it every bloody guest’ll be apart of the decorating,” Ariel laughed and nodded. 

“Alright, then that’s my cue I suppose,” Gwen smiled. “I’ll be back in a few. Here’s hoping I don’t get tugged onto decorating,” she said, crossing her fingers as she walked out.

“Now that we’re alone,” Ariel sighed. 

“Oh, I can’t even begin to tell you what I’m thinking now,” Jack hummed and River laughed while Ariel snorted and swatted at his arm.

“Stop it!” Ariel snapped, laughing as she did so. “No, what I meant was. Now, you two can tell me how you two met. Or at least how you know each other.”

“Oh, you haven’t told her?” Jack frowned at River.

“Well, I couldn’t tell her how we were connected,” River shrugged. “Most of that is still in her future.”

“No, I know that, but you can at least tell her how we met,” Jack said.

“Yeah, I don’t need to know the rest,” Ariel said, closing her eyes so Jack could put on the eyeshadow, mascara, and eyeliner. “Just how the hell, this happened,” she said, gesturing between the pair of them. 

“She stole my Vortex Manipulator,” Jack replied simply.

“I did not!” River snapped. “Dorium did,” she muttered, subconsciously pulling the very same Vortex Manipulator off her wrist and placing it in her bag before he could make a sarcastic comment about it.

“Yeah, and you paid him to do it,” Jack chuckled. “Practically took off my arm trying to get it,” he mumbled.

“River!” Ariel exclaimed in astonishment. She wasn’t one to wound people she didn’t know. Not unless they deserved it anyway. Then she’d give them hell.

“It’s not fault!” River insisted. “He was the one who promised it’d be fresh  _ off  _ his wrist.”

“Yeah, well he got you the Vortex Manipulator wrist and all,” Jack moaned. “It took me nearly two days to grow back this hand,” he said, waving his left hand almost sadly.

“Look at this way. At least he didn’t take off your whole arm permanently,” River shrugged. “You  _ did  _ grow it back.”

“Yeah, after confining myself to the Hub so I didn’t go out in public with half a hand restored and still growing,” Jack laughed and Ariel snorted as she pictured Jack walked down the street with a steadily growing hand and poorly trying to conceal it.

“But how did you find her?” Ariel wondered. “Because if she paid someone to get the Vortex Manipulator, shouldn’t you have been searching for them?”

“Oh, he put a tracker in the bloody thing,” River moaned. “I should have guessed it, of course, but I was in a bit of a hurry. It was back when I was trying to get that painting to you and the Doctor.”

“Ah,” Ariel nodded in understanding.

“I found her right when the readings stopped jumping all over the place,” Jack chuckled. “What were you doing by the way?” He asked with a small frown. “One minute you were in about 200 AD the next the 90’s and on and off.”

“That was the Doctor,” Ariel giggled. “He borrowed it while neither of us were there to stop him.”

“That makes more sense,” Jack chuckled and nodded. “I was thinking you were on a date with two blokes with ones but told neither who you really were.”

“That’s also bound to happen,” River nodded. 

“So, hold on. Let me see if I’m getting this straight. You stole his Vortex Manipulator, you tracked her down,” she said, pointing to each of them in turn. “And what you just became bezzy mates from there on?”

“Well, there was that one night on-,” River began with a laugh.

“River!” Jack snapped.

“Right,” River chuckled. “To make a long story short, we woke up in bed with the royal family of Acfarr,” she summarized.

“Y’know, you think at this point I’d know not to be surprised by the pair of you,” Ariel sighed and the pair laughed. 

Outside the door, they heard two thick Welsh accents arguing.

“No, I fed her on the ride here!” Gwen snapped. “She shouldn’t be hungry! It’s been what? An hour or so since we’ve arrived,” she guessed.

“Two hours!” Jack called through the door.

“See? Two hours! Babies get hungry, Gwen!” Rhys snapped. “She’s just hungry again!”

“Or,  _ maybe _ , you just want to avoid bringing her to the changing room,” Gwen moaned. 

“I don’t even know where the bloody toilets are in this place!” Rhys snapped. “This hotel is a maze!”

“Well, then ask the receptionist!” Gwen yelled. “Don’t go bothering me with your ‘she needs feeding’ bullshite!”

Ariel laughed loudly shaking her head at the dysfunctional couple. They argued more than she thought possible and yet at the end of the day, anybody could see just how much they loved each other. 

“The receptionist doesn’t speak a lick of English, what am I supposed to do about that?” Rhys wondered.

“I dunno,” Gwen sighed, throwing her hands up in the air furiously. “Ask somebody in the wedding party. That Martha has a little girl ask her.”

“I hardly know her!”

“Well, that’s not my problem is it, Rhys?!” Gwen exclaimed. “Just go or I’ll ask Jack to take over fathering for you and you can do Ariel’s makeup.”

“I’d rather do makeup then change a bloody nappy,” Rhys grumbled. 

“Go!” Gwen shrieked. She flung open the door and simply groaned in frustration as she walked inside. “That man sometimes I swear,” she sighed.

“Ah, you love him,” Jack sighed.

“I love him to death but I swear honestly I could just throttle him,” Gwen insisted and Ariel laughed.

“Alright, you can open your eyes now,” Jack said and Ariel’s eyes fluttered open.

“Oh, Jack, it’s marvellous,” Gwen gasped.

“Let me-, oh, my love you look beautiful,” River smiled. 

Ariel turned with a small frown back to the mirror and beamed when she saw her eye makeup. 

It was a blue and grey smokey eye (but luckily not an overwhelming of poorly spread blue, one that was perfectly falling into grey) along with a white inner eye that faded into the smokey eye and simply took her breath away paired with perfect eyeliner and long lashes. He had already done her lips so now all that was left was her face. 

“Jack, you’ve already outdone yourself,” Ariel mumbled. 

“You wanted the best, didn’t you?” Jack chuckled. “Now turn around, I still have the rest of your face to do,” he instructed.

Ariel nodded and spun around for him to continue work. 

Amy walked in just then without Rory in tow and shot a quick glare at Jack before heading over to another mirror in the room to do her hair. 

“Where’s Rory?” River asked. 

“He’s working on the decorations,” Amy sighed, pulling out the straightener and using it on her red hair. “I didn’t want to bring him back with Captain Flirty still here.”

“How did you know he was still here?” Gwen wondered.

“I’m loving the name Captain Flirty,” Jack chuckled. “I wonder if that could be my new new nickname,” he sighed. “Screw the Face of Boe.”

“Nobody’s called you the Face of Boe since you were a kid,” Ariel laughed.

“Martha and Rhys told me he was still up here working on Ariel’s makeup,” Amy explained. “Are you almost done, by the way?” She frowned, marching over and peering at the makeup.

“Rome wasn’t built in a day, my dear Pond,” Jack hummed.

“Oh, don’t compare my wedding day makeup to Rome when Rome fell,” Ariel moaned. 

“Well, if the eye makeup so far is any tell of how it’s going to turn out, I’d say you’re looking a lot better than Rome,” Amy smiled. 

“Thanks,” Ariel and Jack grinned in unison. 

“Oi, by the way I had to guide your husband to the changing rooms. Poor bloke looked more confused than Ariel when Alexander McQueen told her he couldn’t just make her a wedding dress out of thin air and that she actually needed to give him an idea of what he would be doing,” Amy laughed.

“Oh, sue me. I don’t know how wedding dresses get specially designed,” Ariel moaned. “Was anyone expecting me to?”

“I think they were thinking you’d at least know you need to talk to the designers as they make your dress, love,” River chuckled. 

“Oh, what every,” Ariel muttered, throwing her hands up in the air furiously, making them all laugh. 

“Gwen, do you want me to do your hair?” Amy asked. 

“Oh, yeah sure,” Gwen smiled. She jumped up off the bed in the room and headed over to Amy’s side so they could do their hair together.

“How are the decorations looking out there?” River wondered. 

“Almost done,” Amy nodded. “There were a couple incidents with some of the wedding party and a bit of iced over pavement but everything is nearly set up.”

“Is the Doctor there yet?” Ariel asked.

“I think he’s still picking up his groomsmen,” Amy sighed. “I called him and he said he was picking up somebody important.”

“Ah, that could be the royal family,” Ariel winced.

“You invited the royal family to your wedding?” Gwen exclaimed with a laugh. 

“Oh, yeah,” Amy nodded. “Apparently her and the Doctor are just best friends with all of them.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say all of them,” Ariel chuckled. “Prince Charles is still put out that I hung up on his that one time and Phillip was upset that I advised Elizabeth to broaden her horizons when looking for a husband before settling on the first cute bloke she saw.”

Amy began picking up some of the stuff Jack dropped so she could do her own makeup while River started on her hair.

“In your own defense, it was some good advice,” River shrugged. 

“Yeah, I just happened to forget that he reigns with her for bloody ages,” she moaned. 

“Wait, is that why Prince Charles sounded so upset when he called about the Queen being turned into a goldfish?” Amy frowned. “He already didn’t like you?”

“The Queen was turned into a goldfish?” Jack laughed. “What I wouldn’t give to hear that story,” he sighed.

“Same here,” Gwen chuckled.

“It’s not as amusing as it sounds,” River hummed. “Especially, when  _ somebody  _ squashed the last bargaining chip we had with the Warrior Chief that had changed the Queen,” she said, looking pointedly at Amy.

“I thought it was an ordinary fly!” Amy exclaimed. “Besides, she’s okay now, isn’t she?”

“Only because we got to the pet shops in time,” River chuckled. 

“Pet shops?” Gwen frowned.

“Yeah, when the Queen was changed she just so happened to be around some other goldfish and we accidentally picked out the wrong one,” Ariel mumbled. “Well I say, we.”

“Yeahl, the  _ Doctor _ accidentally picked out the wrong goldfish,” River corrected.

“In his own defense he was stressed out and the fear was immediate,” Ariel sighed. 

“Which explained why he left us to deal with the people at the party while he left to answer the phone,” River hummed.

“Ah, it was just a whole big mess,” Ariel shrugged. 

“Why haven’t we been traveling with them?!” Gwen exclaimed. 

“Oh, come on. We’ve had some good times,” Jack insisted. “Remember that girl who killed people by making them orgasm?” 

“What?!” Ariel, Amy and River all cried in unison.

“Yeah, that was all well and good until she tried to kill me,” Gwen sighed. 

“Oh, this I’ve got to hear,” Ariel chuckled. 

“It’s nothing,” Gwen sighed, dismissing the matter with a wave of her hand. 

“Doesn’t sound like nothing,” Amy chortled as she finished doing her own makeup before turning to help Gwen do the same. 

“On my first day this girl was taken over by an alien addicted to sex,” Gwen shrugged. 

“Hell of a first day,” Ariel hummed.

“Oh, it was something,” Jack assured her with a nod. “The security footage was certainly fun to watch,” he chuckled. 

“Disturbing too,” Gwen mumbled. “We had to watch it back to figure out how she turned a bloke into a pile of ash and had to watch them having sex in the bathroom.”

“At the end of it, he came then he left,” Jack laughed and the room erupted into laughter, just as Martha walked in toting her daughter on her arm.

“Oh, hello,” Martha chuckled. “What’s so funny?”

“It’s sort of a long story,” Gwen mumbled. 

“We were telling them one of the stories about Torchwood,” Jack explained. 

“Ah,” Martha nodded. “The one about Owen having to throw up in a holding cell with you because he couldn’t piss or crap any of the drinks he had?” She guessed.

“No, what?!” Ariel exclaimed.

“Oh, I hate that story,” Jack moaned. “The stench was awful,” he sighed, wincing as though he could smell it in that very room.

“But that’s one of my favorites,” Gwen beamed. “So, Owen was this bloke that worked for us.”

“Are you actually going to tell it?” Jack frowned. “Because if you tell that story I might just tell them how on your wedding night we had to save you from a ravenous shapeshifter that wanted to steal a baby you got pregnant with then eat you.”

“I don’t care,” Gwen giggled. “I already told Ariel.”

“Yeah, she did,” Ariel sighed. “Sorry, Jack.”

“Damn it,” Jack muttered. 

And so, Gwen launched into her story. Owen, a man that had once been a doctor for Torchwood, died. He was brought back by this device they had called a resurrection glove, though it could only bring people back for a little bit. It somehow brought Owen back permanently though there were faults. 

After he had died and come back he did not have a heartbeat or a breath in his lungs. He had some strange almost domineering control over the aliens in their facility, but that was another story. The most important factor was that he was unable to drink or eat anything because his bodily functions did not work. Nothing processed what he put in his system. 

It was as though he was still virtually dead, just able to think and walk around unlike any other dead person.

One night, he got extremely depressed and more than he would normally be at his state in life. He went to a bar and, forgetting he couldn’t get drunk or process anything, he drank as much alcohol as possible.

He wound up getting arrested that same night and Jack got himself thrown into the holding cell with him only for Owen to realize the mistake he had made.

The next twenty minutes were followed with Owen doing a handstand in the holding cell before consequently puking across the entire floor and leaving Jack trapped inside with the smell.

They all fell into fits of laughter picturing Jack’s reaction and the man rolled his eyes. “And with that happy little number, I am finished,” he announced. “Does anybody else want makeup help or can I leave forever?”

“I’d actually like makeup help, sweetie,” River chuckled, smiling softly at Jack.

“Wonderful,” Jack moaned.

“You’re still going to walk me down the aisle, right?” Ariel prompted.

“Yeah,” Jack nodded. “No need to worry,” he assured her. 

“Right then,” Amy sighed. “Time to get you in this wedding dress,” she smiled. 

“Oh, this should be fun,” Ariel mumbled sarcastically.

Amy, Gwen, and Martha all laughed as they got up to help with the dress. They had to make sure it didn’t smudge any of her make up nor did it mess up her hair. 

It was going to take a village.

“River, could you watch Franny?” Martha requested, placing the one year old beside River.

“Of course, love.”

“Thanks,” Martha smiled before rushing over to the other bridesmaids. 

They pulled the dress off the hanger while Ariel stripped down to her undergarments. 

“Hey!” Jack snapped. “Don’t throw your shirt at me while I’m working!” He exclaimed.

“I’m getting married today,” Ariel reminded him. “Today and on my birthday I should be allowed to do what I want.”

“Oh, that’s so unfair,” Jack grumbled.

“No, actually, that’s quite reasonable,” Amy nodded. “Now, raise your arms,” she instructed the girl. 

Ariel nodded and did as she was told. The bridesmaids all pulled the dress out as far as they could while still playing it safe and not ripping or damaging it before dropping it onto her body.

They rushed to make adjustments so her bra was covered and her hair was pulled out but still curly and didn’t begin to frizz.

Once they were done, they stepped back and beamed with pride at their work.

“Well?” Ariel prompted, grinning as she spun around in the dress. 

“You look beautiful,” Gwen nodded.

Ariel was a sight to behold, her dress perfectly sculpted to her curves, but just free flowing enough to allow her to move around and smile at them. 

Thinking of the girl that had started out thinking nobody truly cared for her and did not have a single friend in the world, coming out to the woman that was shining like a princess at them about to marry the love of her life, it was hard not to shed a tear of joy.

Though Ariel never wanted that. She didn’t want people to start crying before her. She wanted people to keep her confident and tell her without a shadow of a doubt that this was going to be a good day. She found that in the friends she kept by her side in that room. 

None of them cried. None of them wept over the little shy girl who had grown into a bright, shining confident woman because many of them had made their own personal transformations similar to hers.

They had each grown through their own evolutions of feeling unimportant to be the reason the Earth was still spinning on that day. 

“There’s one last touch,” Amy mumbled as she walked over to grab the veil and the tiara behind it. 

As she did so, Jack finished River’s makeup. At Martha’s request, he carried Franny back out to Mickey but was stopped along the corridor by none other than Sarah Jane with two very important people in tow. 

“Ah, hello, ma’am,” Jack smiled, saluting the woman. “I’d stop to catch up but as you can see I have a baby to return,” he said, bouncing Franny in his arms.

“Jack Harkness with a baby,” Sarah Jane hummed. “I never thought I’d see the day.”

“Stranger things have happened,” Jack chuckled before frowning at the pair walking behind Sarah Jane. “‘Hello,” Jack smiled. “I’ve met all Ariel’s friends, but I don’t think we’ve had the pleasure.” He shifted Franny in his arms and held out a hand. “Captain Jack Harkness,” he introduced without his usual backdrop of flirtation behind it.

“A captain?” The man frowned as he shook his hand. “A doctor and a captain. Bloody hell, Ariel is popular,” he chuckled.

“No, love,” the woman smiled. “The Doctor is his actual name,” she corrected, smiling warmly at Jack as she shook his hand. “Did you not get that when you first met him?”

“He was a strange bloke,” the man shrugged. “I didn’t know what to think, but I certainly knew he was mad. Mad enough to marry Ariel, that’s for sure,” he chuckled.

“Okay, then,” Jack frowned. “If you’re looking for Ariel, she’s the second door on the left. She just finished getting dressed and should be putting on her veil now so she’ll be less cranky,” he smiled.

“Thanks,” Sarah Jane grinned. “The Doctor has just arrived, so you may want to go to him. He’s getting a bit frantic,” she chuckled softly.

“Alright,” Jack nodded. “First, I have to return this little one to her father. Right?”

“Right!” Franny exclaimed proudly.

They each laughed and Jack made his way back down the steps to the outside of the hotel where he spotted a bright blue box in the distance. 

Sarah Jane lead the pair up the steps towards Ariel’s door. She smiled softly as she glanced behind her. The Doctor had asked Sarah if she could join him when he picked up Ariel’s wedding presents she had no idea what she had been in store. She thought maybe it would be some sweet present that could only be accessed on another planet but little did she know, the Doctor took her on two stops throughout Ariel’s childhood.

One stop was when Ariel was six, and they had both played with the young girl for a while as her father, Matthew Parsons, got ready for the wedding and put on his very best suit. 

They left and went further along Ariel’s timeline to her mother. 

After Carol Parsons had met the Doctor, they arrived and explained everything for her. Carol yet again only believed they weren’t lying when she saw the Tardis. 

She frantically got ready and pulled out her best dress which she had worn last at her own brother’s wedding. 

Together, Ariel’s parents joined the Doctor in the Tardis so they could greet their little girl on her wedding day.

“Oh, ow, Amy!” Ariel’s voice cried behind the door and Carol nearly burst into tears at that alone. Her daughter sounded older. “That pin hurt!”

“Sorry!” Amy snapped. “But if you want to wear that bloody tiara while I’m rearranging these pins this isn’t going to be easy.”

“But I-,” Ariel tried to reason, staring at herself in the mirror and adoring how gorgeous it looked. “Fine,” she huffed. “I’ll take it off. Here Martha. Don’t drop it, please!”

Sarah Jane chuckled and knocked softly on the door.

“Ow! Who is that?!” Ariel yelled. “Is that Jack?”

“I’ll get it,” River called. She swung open the door and Ariel watched with a small but curious frown to see who was on the other side. 

“Ah, Sarah Jane!” Ariel exclaimed.

“Wait, wait, I’m not done with the pins!” Amy moaned.

“Oh, shove a pin in it, Amy,” Ariel sighed. “I-,” her face fell when she spotted the two people behind Sarah Jane. “No,” Ariel gasped. 

“Hello sweetheart,” Matthew smiled. 

“Dad?!” Ariel exclaimed. “Mum?!” She cried, tears welling up in her eyes.

“Hello, love,” Carol beamed.

“Oh, my God!” Ariel shouted. She ran up to them and dove into their arms, tears streaming down her face. “I can’t,” she gasped. 

“Shh,” Matthew breathed, rubbing his daughter’s back in comfort. “It’s alright, dear. Don’t cry,” he smiled as he pulled away and wipe a tear away. “It’s your wedding day.”

Ariel choked back a sob that was an uncertain mixture between laughter and sadness. 

“Whoever did your makeup did a mighty fine job of getting out waterproof, I reckon,” Carol chuckled softly as she cupped her daughter’s cheek.

“Yeah, we have it in full supply on weddings,” Amy called.

Ariel sniffled and jumped into a hug with her parents once again, squeezing even tighter this time. “How are you-?” She gasped, dropping out of their hugs and staring at them with large eyes. She wiped away her tears. “How did you get here?”

“The Doctor did it,” Carol beamed. “He said he thinks his wife would want to have her parents there for her wedding day.”

“Oh, my God!” Ariel exclaimed, staring back at her bridesmaids who all just seemed as dumbfounded as she was. “When he said he was going to get me a present, I never thought-I never even guessed.”

“He really loves you,” River smiled.

Ariel glanced around at the room before bursting into tears once again, overwhelmed with it all. 

“Oh, hey,” Carol hummed, running up and pulling her daughter into a tight hug as the girl sobbed into her shoulder.

Ariel let out a shaky breath in her arms. She had missed this. She had missed being able to take comfort in her mother’s hug and she had missed the woman always being there for her no matter what she may face.

As she grew up, she didn’t have much faith in her mother. That faith had only been returned by the Doctor’s presence in their lives, but even before that she knew that if she had ever come to her mother with a broken heart the woman would be right there with a loving hug and some soft words to make it all a little bit easier. 

She knew that when it was all over they would have to leave again. Too much had been influenced by their deaths and though she wished they could stay with her forever, she knew she wouldn’t be there without them dying.

She would have them back for her wedding day, and lose them again, but at least this time she would get to say proper goodbyes.

“Look at you,” Matthew hummed, placing his hand on his daughter’s shoulder gently before pulling her into another hug. “You’ve grown so much.”

Ariel cried into his chest and sought out the fatherly comfort she had lost growing up. Neither of her parents had been present the whole time she had grown up, but none of that mattered now. 

They were there and they were going to see her get married. 

“Let me look at you,” Carol smiled, gently moving Ariel away from her father. “Oh, dear,” she breathed as she saw the entire wedding dress and Ariel’s makeup. “You look like a princess.”

“Far better,” Matthew grinned. “You look like a Queen.”

Ariel choked back another sob as she looked between them. “I’ve missed you two so much.”

“Oh, darling,” Carol sighed, pulling Ariel into a hug. “As upset as I am that you had to live without us for so long, I’m happy the Doctor took care of you especially after I was gone, and I’m so happy you found the one.”

“I really did, Mum,” Ariel insisted with a nod. “He’s so perfect and so wonderful.”

“If I am to die as the Doctor says, I’m glad I could do it knowing you’ll be happy and safe,” Carol smiled. 

“I don’t know much about this Doctor, but I agree,” Matthew nodded. “After he said you’ll lose both of us, I started to worry-.”

“You don’t have to worry, Dad,” Ariel grinned, sniffling as she wiped some stray tears away. “He’s good. He’s  _ so  _ good, and Mum I feel really happy with him for the first time after Dad died.”

“I’m so glad,” Carol hummed. 

Ariel’s parents pulled her into one last hug before pulling away and Carol wiped away some of her own tears. 

“Oh, look at me,” Carol sighed. “You’ve got me crying before I even watch my little girl get married,” she said and Ariel giggled. She took a handkerchief from River and began dabbing at her eyes so she didn’t risk smudging anymore makeup.

She could get away with the little damage she had done so far but any more and they’d be calling Jack back in to help them again.

“Well, we won’t pull away from your time anymore,” Matthew said. “You’ve still got a wedding to get to after all. I’ll see you when I walk you down the aisle,” he promised.

“Right,” Ariel sniffled and nodded, smiling as she dabbed at her eyes. “Wait,” she paused as she realized what plans would need to change. “Can somebody tell Jack he’s not going to be walking me down the aisle anymore?” She asked, glancing around wildly at her bridesmaids.

“On it!” Gwen called. She walked past Ariel and squeezed the girls shoulders quickly in comfort before rushing out to the field where the wedding would be taking place. 

Gwen raced out and grinned at the wedding setup. It was all so perfect. The Doctor was with his four groomsmen and his many other friends, all of whom were trying to reassure him as the man panicked about what he may get wrong.

At the very end of the aisle, the wedding planner Caroline was scolding several of the bakers and cooks as they tried to bring a three tier wedding cake back to the hotel without a box.

Already in their seats, Mickey and Rhys were exchanging parenting advice as Rhys still had a seven month old to deal with.

The rest of the wedding guests were either at the hotel or in their guest bedrooms on the Tardis finishing getting ready.

“Jack,” Gwen called to the man in a suit and tie standing beside the Tardis talking to the Doctor.

“Yeah?” Jack prompted, spinning around with a raised brow. 

“You don’t have to walk Ariel down the aisle,” Gwen shook her head. “The Doctor brought both her parents back for the wedding.”

“Ah, I knew that lady’s voice sounded familiar,” Jack frowned. “But if I can’t do that can I do the ceremony? I got ordained in the 1920’s,” he smirked. 

“Why are you asking me?” Gwen frowned. “It’s their wedding.”

“Good point,” Jack chuckled and spun back around to the Doctor.

Caroline rushed out as soon as she had dealt with the cooks and had a glass of wine in her hand. “Alright! It is half past fifteen o’clock and I’m just tipsy enough to watch this without crying. Let’s get this show on the road people!” She cried, clapping her hands together.

Gwen ran out as she started choosing people to collect the wedding guests and she headed back to Ariel’s room where the state of affairs was no better.

Ariel had started to have panic attacks and Martha and Amy were currently coaching her through her cold feet. 

“I just think it could be too soo-,” Ariel began.

“Breathe,” the women chorused miming for her to breath in and out. 

“I mean  _ husband _ that’s a lot of commit-.”

“Breathe.”

“What’s going on?” Gwen frowned at River.

“Ariel started panicking after you left because Amy said there was nothing more to be done except get married and it’s all just really began to sink in. She’s already thrown up twice,” River explained.

“Blimey, the only cold feet I had at my wedding was whether or not I should tell my parents the alien baby I had was Rhys’s or not,” Gwen mumbled and River laughed.

“Where have her parents gone?” Gwen asked.

“They were called out my Sarah Jane just before you arrived. Carol’s gone to take her seat and Matthew’s waiting for Ariel in the lobby.”

“I think I’m gonna throw up again!” Ariel cried. 

“Not on the dress! Not on the dress!” Amy bellowed. She bolted across the room and fetched a bucket that she had gotten after the first puking incident.

Martha held back her hair as Ariel saw all the French desserts River had gotten her for a second time. 

Gwen and River winced at the sound. 

“Well, the good news is, you’ll be hungry for the dinner after,” River reminded her.

Ariel just groaned into the bucket. “Alright,” Ariel moaned. “Let’s just get this over with.”

“There’s the wedding spirit,” Amy said cheerily as she carried out some rags to wipe Ariel’s face. “Luckily, you’re allowed to be late so we have time to fix you up,” she sighed as she lifted up her best friend’s sullen face and began to wipe away any vomit. “Martha, could you empty that out in the dumpster behind the hotel?” Amy requested.

“Oh, how I’d really love to say no right now,” Martha hummed, but she recalled Amy emptying the bucket out after Ariel had vomited last time so with a soft sigh and nod, she did her duty as a bridesmaid. 

Martha picked up the bucket as Amy helped Ariel lie on the bed and marched out of the room, but not before casting an annoyed glance at Gwen and River.

“Weddings,” she sighed. “Not exactly the glitz and glamour they’re made out to be,” she shrugged before heading out the door.

Martha walked out to the lobby only to be met by her husband wearing a bright smile as he walked up to his wife.

“Hey, everyone’s wondering where Ariel is,” Mickey said. “What’s in the bucket? Something for the Doctor?” He guessed.

“Oh, it was because of the Doctor if that’s what you mean,” Martha sighed, stepping back with large eyes.

Mickey frowned and peered inside only to step back himself with large eyes. “Oh, that is definitely not for the Doctor,” he mumbled. “What happened?”

“Cold feet,” Martha shrugged. “Nothing major,” she dismissed.

“Oh,” Mickey frowned. “Is she alright?”

“Fine, yeah,” Martha nodded. “She’s a bit tired but she’ll make it through.”

“Good because that wedding planner, who is terrifying by the way, is about to start and she keeps yelling for the bridesmaids,” Mickey chuckled.

“We’ll be there in a moment,” Martha assured him. “I just have to dump this out,” she sighed, holding up the bucket.

“Ah, doing your bridesmaid duty then?” Mickey smirked.

“Seems like it,” Martha sighed. “I’ll see you in the wedding,” she told her husband, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before heading out.

Back inside Ariel’s room, Amy and the other bridesmaids put their last touch ups on Amy so nobody could ever guess she’d had a breakdown in her room. 

They gave her water and some bread so she could hold food down and not be starving to death as she said her vows, but wouldn’t risk throwing up again. 

Ariel grinned at them as River fed her with another piece of bread. “I love you all so much,” she beamed.

She was so lucky to have friends that held her hair back when she threw up and would nurture as best as possible when she was ill. She was lucky to have a group of friends that cared for her so deeply that they would put in all their efforts to keep her happy and healthy on the best day of her life. 

“We love you too,” Gwen nodded. “So much that we can even forgive you for not having a Hen Night,” she said and the group laughed.

Ariel giggled and pulled them all into a tight hug. “After my Dad then Ross died I had always assumed had lost the people in the world who couldn’t care less if I was alive or not. I thought if I met even just one person who gave a shit, it would be the best thing in the world and now I know even if the Doctor and I weren’t together I’d still have some of the greatest four people in the universe to care about me.”

They all beamed at her and hugged tightly.

There were soft sniffles all around her and she giggled as she released the women and found them fighting to save their makeup.

“This is not fair. I should not be crying before the wedding’s even started,” Amy muttered.

Ariel laughed and beamed up at her, causing River to smile.

“Love?” River prompted and Ariel turned to her.

Her makeup and been replaced to its original gorgeous frame. Her hair had been recurled just in case and her veil was hanging behind her beautifully. 

She had grown from the young girl hiding away from the world within the pages of books too terrified to step out from the comfort of the Tardis so long ago. She had grown into a young woman more than ready to pledge her life to the man she loved. 

“It’s time,” River hummed.

Ariel’s sparkling grey eyes grew wide and a faint smile caressed her pink lips. 

She was ready. 

Martha returned and they all grabbed their bouquets. 

Amy stepped in front of Ariel and grinned at her best friend before pulling the veil over her face. “Good luck,” Amy mumbled.

“Thanks,” Ariel grinned.

They headed outside and down the steps to the lobby where Ariel’s father greeted them. He held out his arm and Ariel took it happily.

“You look lovely, sweetheart,” Matthew whispered in her ear as they headed out.

“Thank you,” Ariel beamed.

They headed down to the field and at the altar, stood the Doctor watching with the largest smile Ariel had ever seen on his lips.

Frank Sinatra was at the piano as promised and her Dad’s eyes practically fell out of his head at the sight. “Is that-?” He breathed.

Ariel giggled and nodded. “It’s sort of a long story.”

“So, long as you introduce me, love. I don’t care how long it takes,” Matthew hummed and Ariel laughed.

“Deal.”

As they approached they end of the aisle, Ariel and her father walked up and Frank began playing the well known  _ Here Comes the Bride. _

Ariel and Matthew walked down the aisle and Ariel grinned as she looked through all the familiar faces in the crowd. Some had stood up to watch her and some were standing to watch the Doctor, who head tears in his eyes as he beamed at Ariel.

His eyes never left hers for a moment and Ariel thought she may burst with joy as she watched him.

She was finally doing it. She was finally going to be walked into her future with the person in the universe who has made her happiest.

The Doctor grabbed a handkerchief from Rory and wiped his eyes making Ariel giggle happily as she reached the altar. 

The Doctor tossed the cloth back at Rory and turned to her with a large smile.

“You look beautiful,” he murmured in her ear.

“So do you,” Ariel giggled. It was true. The Doctor looked gorgeous in his suit and bow tie. He had picked out the white bow tie to wear that day. Her very favorite. 

They turned to Jack who was now officiating the ceremony.

“Ladies, Gentlemen, and those unspecified, we are gathered here today to celebrate the wedding of this man and this woman in holy matrimony. Now, as these two are of different species we will be conducting both formal Time Lord and human weddings here today,” Jack announced. “First, we will start with a wedding ceremony typical of that on Gallifrey,” he said. 

Jack turned to one of the groomsmen and got a small strip of fabric. “If you two would hold on your hands,” he said. 

They did just that and Jack wrapped their left hands together. “Who consents and gives this woman to be this man’s wife?”

“I consent and gladly give,” Matthew announced with a small smile as he watched Ariel.

“I consent and gladly give,” Carol said, grinning at her daughter.

“Now, if you would state the Gallifreyan wedding vows.”

“I am yours and you are mine,” the Doctor and Ariel said in unison. “Together we are one. We are one for all of time, we are one for no time.”

“Who will watch over me until the stars turn cold, until time itself unravels?” The Doctor asked.

“I will,” Ariel responded. “Who will care for me, until the suns burn out and moons fall?” She asked. 

“I will,” The Doctor said. “Who will stand by me as we face the everlasting Darkness?”

“I will,” Ariel replied. “Who will guide my hand as we fly over the Singularity?”

“I will,” the Doctor said. “Who will stay by me in each and every regeneration? Who will love me if I change as the fickle wind does?” 

“I will,” Ariel smiled.

“Our hearts beat as one,” the Doctor and Ariel said in unison. “Our minds think as one. On this day, in this time, two shall become one.”

The Doctor pulled Ariel and whispered his name into her ear once again, making her giggle. 

He pulled away and gazed into her eyes. She stumbled and fell through the green pastures her met her with before he took her breath away by stealing a kiss that swept her off her feet.

The crowd started to clap and Jack frowned. “Wha-hey! Hey! Hey! Did I  _ not _ say there was going to be two weddings?! Sit back down,” he groaned. “Yes, you too your Majesty.”

The Queen sat by her husband’s side with clear alarm in her eyes. 

The Doctor and Ariel chuckled softly but happily as he unwrapped the cloth from their hands and passed it back to Jack.

“Right,” Jack sighed. “Now for the human wedding vows. Doctor?” He prompted.

“Ariel, I thought I never deserved to be happy. I thought I never deserved anything as good as you because whatever crossed my path would just leave, but I know out of all the difficult things I’ve done this is certainly one of the easiest. I love you. Any surprises that come our way, it’s okay, because I will always love you. You are the person I was meant to spend the rest of this old life with. Every day with you is an adventure. I can't believe how lucky I am, and I can't wait to share my life with you forever.”

Ariel grinned and she heard several girl’s behind her sniffling, making her chuckle softly. She took a deep breath and greeted is brilliant green eyes. “I wondered for so long if there was someone who could see something worthwhile in me. Someone who would never overlook me but rather care about me and appreciate me, but I was never certain if I deserved that until three years ago when I walked home thinking nothing would change and wound up meeting all I had ever wanted in life. And now, here we are, with our future before us – and I only want to spend it with you, my prince, my soulmate, my friend. When I lost the last remainders of my family I thought there was nothing left for me, But now I'm standing here today, knowing that I have everything I'm ever gonna need. You are my family,” she beamed at him.

The Doctor smiled softly and cupped her cheek delicately, brushing his thumb across her cheekbone.

“May we have the rings?” Jack prompted.

They each turned back and slipped the rings onto each others fingers.

“By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife,” Jack proclaimed. “You may kiss the bride.”

The Doctor grinned at Ariel and quite literally swept her off her feet as he crushed his lips to hers. His tongue swept into her mouth and beside them Jack groaned loudly. 

“Alright,  _ now _ , you can stand up and clap people!” Jack cried.

The crowd quickly stood up and began clapping while the bridesmaids and groomsmen laughed.

Ariel and the Doctor continued to snog and it only took Jack clearing his throat for them to break apart and beam up at him.

Frank started playing once again and the Doctor took Ariel’s hand, holding it up happily as they headed back down the aisle together, finally married.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Franny's name is originated from Martha's mother, Francine.  
> Gallifreyan wedding vows: https://doctorwho.livejournal.com/3831571.html  
> "Human" wedding vows are based off; Chandler Bing, Monica Geller: Friends. Phoebe Buffay, Mike Hannigan: Friends


	40. You Are In Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I debated for a while where I wanted to end this story and season because as far as I may push it with the minisodes and other extras, it has to reach an end. The only problem was, nothing felt right. Even after finishing the wedding I had this sense of needing something more and finishing this chapter I knew this was it. 
> 
> A simple end yet happy ending to lead into the next story, so here it is. Without further ado, the final chapter to 'Here We Go Again'.
> 
> I listened to this song while writing so if you want, you can to. This is not in the playlist I linked to, but when I listened to it I just knew it would work for the ending of this story. Here it is if you want to listen while you read: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlvwa4iDcaw

That night, after everyone had been returned home Ariel found herself in a familiar spot sitting at the very edge of the Tardis watching the Earth below.

Amy and Rory had been returned home so they could adjust to a married life where they were not running down corridors from aliens every other day. While that may have been the life Ariel signed on for, that was certainly not the life Amy and Rory planned when they got engaged.

The Doctor promised he’d keep in touch but somewhere in the backs of all their minds they knew it would be months before they ever heard from him again. 

The Doctor was wonderful and brilliant, but when he said goodbye he often grew used to that very state of departure for much longer than the Ponds would be happy with. 

Ariel had to say goodbye to her parents again and while it was emotional, Ariel was much happier with this goodbye than the ones she’d had to face on their consecutive deaths.

Those were both filled with so much emotion and pain that she never got the chance to say what she really felt.

She never got the chance to tell her father that she was grateful for everything he taught her in the few years he had raised her. That just in that short span of childhood she recalled with him, she knew that he had influenced almost each trait she bore to that day. He had been her first friend and continued to influence her even nine years later. 

Her mother on the other hand had disappeared through most of her life and there were moments when she questioned the love the older woman may have lost for her, but in the last few months of her life when their lives had taken a drastic change with the Doctor’s presence Ariel learned that she had loved her all along. 

Their lives had been impacted severely after her father passed. While she personally had taken a more emotional stance and searched for answers and possibly some hope for her future in books, her mother had searched for hope at the bottom of beer bottles and in nameless faces that promised friendship and love only to turn away.

They had both wanted some sort of answer as to why the universe would take someone as wonderful as their father from them but inevitably found that without him they both fell to pieces. So, when her Mum left she did the one thing she had struggled with through all her teenage years. 

She forgave her mother.

They departed and Ariel took time to herself before turning to say goodbye to their other guests.

Her first goodbye was to Wilfred Mott. The pair had never gotten the chance to talk before or after the wedding so Ariel took the small chance she had to ask about the lives of both himself and her first real friend Donna Noble. 

Donna was happy. That’s all she wanted to hear. She’s pregnant with her first child and complaining endlessly, but Wilfred can tell she’s happy. There are still moments where Wilfred thinks she’s remembering and in those brief seconds she seems more devastated than he thought possible, but now she has someone by her side to guide her through. 

If she had to forget all she achieved with Ariel and the Doctor, at least she could have someone to remind her that she was still the most important woman in the universe. 

As for Wilf himself, he was happy as can be. He kept up with the adventures Ariel and the Doctor that he could. He had taken to reading some history books out on the hill while he watches the sky and seeing if he couldn’t catch a mention of either of them.

He found history much more entertaining to read about when he could know some of the people in it personally, and he did have a few choice words about Ariel marrying Henry the Eighth.

He left just before Martha and Mickey who headed out when the Doctor began asking them to name their next child ‘Doctor’. 

Martha wished Ariel good luck and insisted that they talk more while Ariel was on trips with the Doctor because while she may find her happiness back on Earth, that didn’t mean she stopped enjoying photographs of alien planets.  

Sarah Jane left with; Clyde, Rani, and Luke and thanked the pair saying she had a wonderful time and knew she would be even better married together if that were possible. 

Jack, Rex, Esther, Gwen, and Rhys left after Gwen’s daughter started crying and Gwen promised she would call Ariel with a proper goodbye before running out after Rhys who tried to help the screaming baby by stuffing a bottle into her mouth. 

Jack hugged Ariel goodbye and insisted that if ever there were a day when she got tired of running around with the Doctor there was always room for her at Torchwood to the Doctor’s displeasure. 

Rex and Esther both seemed completely right for Torchwood. Ariel had gotten on with Esther better but she promised Jack that they seemed perfect for the job.

There was going to be a day when Gwen wanted to spend more time at home and inevitably left Torchwood and when that day came, Ariel knew Rex and Esther would be up to the task of filling her shoes. 

Ariel was a bit put out that she was unable to meet the Doctor’s granddaughter. 

Susan had received an invitation sure enough but the woman had grown old and was not able to make the trip with David. 

The Doctor had promised to have them meet one day but Ariel knew it was hard. He had told her how when he said goodbye to Susan, he hadn’t even been able to leave the Tardis. 

Picturing the heartbreak both of them must have felt on that day made it easy to understand why they make struggle with a reunion, especially after all this time. 

And so, Ariel never pressed him, rather she let it be and both met and said farewell to his former companions or friends when he was unable to.

He had so many goodbyes in his life, knowing each of these will likely be the last was hard for him and so Ariel helped where she could. 

But now, the day had come to an end and while the Doctor slept she sat in her usual spot sipping some hot cocoa and feeling blissfully at piece. 

She had finally reached a point in her life where she knew if she died tomorrow, she would die feeling loved and  _ finally _ happy. 

It was hard to describe a feeling such as this. There were emotions that could be defined, or explained, but when Ariel stared down at the Earth below she knew she felt what poets and writers could only dream of doing justice to.

It was not a certain phrase or declaration that told Ariel that he loved her as deeply and as strongly as she loved her, but rather the moments of silence. The feeling she got when she stood by his side and there was a gentle brush of their shoulders that should have been nothing but after years was still able to make butterflies soar deep through her chest. 

She knew it in the looks he gave that were meant especially for her. In the smiles that he had only saved for her and no other person. 

Even in her fits of jealousy she had aimed at those flirting with him, she saw the small differences in the way he addressed them versus her. There was no palpable proof of this. No words he spoke that told her she was the only he saved all his brightest smiles for, but she knew everyday he looked at her. She knew that he felt something words would be unable to do justice to.

She wanted to remember everything about her relationship with the Doctor because no matter how hard she fought it, time seemed to move too fast. 

The little moments where their lack of language screamed out their love because one day she would inevitably be unable to stay with the Doctor much longer and when that day came she wanted to be able to look back and know they shared a fierce love that even the universe could not destroy.

There was the sound of soft footsteps behind her and a lighthearted chuckle that made her heart sing.

He sat down behind her and her body instinctively gave way to lean backwards into the warm hearth that his arms embodied. He wrapped them around her and the very sense of home flooded her senses as she sighed into a comfort she did know know she had been lacking until he arrived.

“Even tonight you couldn’t sleep?” He prompted, his voice soft, almost becoming the ghost of a whisper as though he would afraid speaking too loud would break the gentle atmosphere she had been sitting in.

“I could for a while,” Ariel murmured, shrugging nonchalantly. “But when I woke up for a few seconds I couldn’t shut my eyes again. I didn’t want to wake you.”

“You can always wake me,” he assured her, rubbing her arm gently as though to reinforce the idea. 

“It’s alright,” she shook her head. “I wanted to think anyway.”

“Mmm,” the Doctor nodded. “Anything interesting?”

Ariel gave a breathy chuckle at that. “Mostly about you,” she confessed, turning in his arms so she could watch him react.

She smiled softly when, after all this time, he still expressed a brief moment of surprise dashing across his face as though he were still unable to believe that people would spend time thinking good thoughts of him. Once his surprise fell from his face all that was left was genuine warmness as he grinned and cupped her cheek before brushing a kiss across her lips.

“I was thinking,” Ariel mumbled and the Doctor raised a single brow as he glanced down at her. “We don’t need to go anywhere for the honeymoon,” she shrugged. “I just want to spend it here with you.”

“Are you sure?”

She nodded and he pressed a gentle kiss to her head as though it expressed the small burst of love and adoration in his chest that words could simply not voice. 

“Okay,” the Doctor breathed. “But if you change your mind-.”

“I won’t,” she assured him with a shake of her head. “Though, of course, if there’s a distress signal or something urgent we can’t possibly pass that up.”

“That would be impossible,” the Doctor scoffed, a light chortle following his humorous tone.

“But until then?” Ariel implored with a raised brow. 

“Just you and me,” the Doctor promised with a small smile yet firm nod. “Just the two of us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be another and FINAL part to this series up ASAP. It will be called 'Real Heroes' and I'm so excited about just the prologue alone that I can't wait for you guys to read this.


End file.
